FIFA has taken decisive action against Canada's women's soccer team for their involvement in a drone scandal at the Olympics. At the same time, Team USA has admitted to experiencing similar issues but chose not to report them .
Controversy erupted when a drone hovered over New Zealand's training session just before their match against Canada in the Paris Games. The incident put a bitter taste on Canada's subsequent 2-1 victory over New Zealand in Group A.
FIFA, prioritizing the integrity of the competition, ruled that drone use might have unfairly influenced the game's outcome . Consequently, Canada's head coach, Bev Priestman, was expelled from the Olympics , with assistant coach Andy Spence stepping in as her replacement.
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FIFA's sanctions on Canada women's soccer
- A fine of $226,110
- One-year bans from international competition for Bev Priestman, Joseph Lombardi, and Jasmine Mander
- A six-point deduction in the Olympic group stage
In an unexpected revelation, unnamed sources told ESPN that Team USA had encountered a similar situation dating back to 2021 during their practices at IMG Academy in Florida, a top sports performance school. A man was spotted diligently observing Team USA’s training sessions.
Security reportedly intervened, asking the man to leave after he claimed to be an IMG employee, which turned out to be false. He was later identified as a member of the Canadian staff, but Team USA chose not to report the incident, deeming it minor.
Several Team USA representatives suspect that the unidentified man might be John Herdman, who coached Canada's women's team from 2011 to 2018 and the men's team from 2018 to 2023. Herdman has been involved in previous controversies, including accusing Team USA of using a drone and alleging that they used video cameras disguised as fake birds to record a practice session.
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On Friday, Herdman denied involvement in the IMG practice incident and stated confidently that no drones were used during his tenure as coach. Yet, reports suggest that Canadian soccer teams have been utilizing drones for years. The revelations have sparked a broader conversation about fair play and the use of technology in sports. It sparked an even bigger outcry online from fans who immediately denounced the severity of the accused cheating scandal.
One fan wrote, "If you can’t beat New Zealand without cheating you have much bigger problems," while another added, "It’s never worth it to do this." Fans continued to express their concern about the stringency of the drone flying, saying that the breach is a serious blow to sports ethics.
Canadian women's soccer has -3 points in Group A, with France sitting on top, followed by Colombia and New Zealand. Canada will face the group leaders in their second game of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
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