Canada’s women’s football manager, Beverly Priestman, has been suspended by the country’s football federation after a drone incident during the Paris 2024 Olympics. The federation took action after learning about previous drone use against opponents, dating back before the current Games.
Priestman voluntarily withdrew from her team’s opening victory against New Zealand, and her assistant, Jasmine Mander, was also sent home along with an unaccredited analyst. An independent external review will be conducted while Priestman is suspended for the remainder of the Games.
Assistant coach Andy Spence will take over for the upcoming matches, including the game against France. Priestman took responsibility for the actions of her colleagues and apologized to both New Zealand Football and Team Canada. FIFA has also opened disciplinary proceedings against Priestman, Mander, and the analyst.
Priestman, who started her coaching career with Canada’s youth teams before leading the senior team to Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021, has faced a setback with this suspension. Her success in Tokyo was a significant achievement for Canadian football, and the recent drone incident has raised questions about the team’s tactics and leadership.
The use of drones to spy on opposition teams is a serious violation of fair play and sportsmanship. The federation will need to investigate the extent of this issue and ensure that it does not happen again in the future. The players, on the other hand, will need to focus on their upcoming matches and put this off-field distraction behind them as they prepare to face France.
The suspension of Beverly Priestman has put a spotlight on the importance of ethical conduct in sports and the consequences of violating rules and regulations. As the team moves forward in the tournament, they will need to regroup and focus on their performance on the pitch, leaving behind the controversy surrounding their former head coach.