July 28: Canadian Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough announced on Sunday that the government is suspending some of Canada Soccer’s funding following a spying scandal involving the women’s soccer team at the Paris Olympics. This announcement came a day after FIFA penalized Canada Soccer by docking six points, banning head coach Bev Priestman and two assistant coaches for a year each, and imposing a fine of approximately $313,000. The scandal involved a team analyst using a drone to spy on New Zealand team practices, leading to significant repercussions for the Canadian team.
Qualtrough emphasized the unfairness of using a drone to surveil another team during a closed practice, stating that it undermines the integrity of the game. She expressed deep concern about a pattern of unethical behavior at Canada Soccer and pledged to get to the bottom of the issue. Given that the women’s program receives funding from Sport Canada, funds related to the suspended officials will be withheld for the duration of their FIFA sanctions.
Canada Soccer has initiated an independent external review to address potential systemic ethical shortcomings. The Canadian Olympic Committee is also exploring rights of appeal regarding the six-point deduction.
The scandal has caused significant distraction and embarrassment for Team Canada, with former goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe expressing her anger and heartbreak over the situation. The incident has made it more challenging for Canada to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament, despite their opening 2-1 win over New Zealand.
The Canadian team was scheduled to play against France in Saint-Etienne later on Sunday, with their Group A finale against Colombia set for Wednesday in Nice.
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