Members of Canada women’s coaching staff “objected” to requests to fly drones over opposition training sessions in the two years before the scandal which engulfed the team at Paris 2024.
An independent external investigation into the illegal use of drones, commissioned by Canada Soccer, found that one coach raised concerns “several times” between 2022 and 2024.
Two of Canada’s coaching staff were sent home during the Olympic Games for flying a drone over a training session held by New Zealand, their opponents in a group game, while national team coach Beverly Priestman was removed from her duties.
Priestman was suspended by Canada Soccer shortly after the incident and the governing body said on Tuesday the 38-year-old Englishwoman will not return to the role.
“The search for a new head coach for the women’s national team will commence shortly,” it said in a statement.
The names of those who raised the objections have been redacted from the transcripts released as part of the findings, to comply with privacy laws and with confidentiality commitments.
The report concluded the drone footage was not viewed by any of Canada women’s national team players.
Two of the women’s national team coaches “directed acts of improper surveillance predating the 2024 Paris Olympics”, but “no evidence was found” that it took place at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games where Canada won gold.
The investigation, conducted by Sonia Regenbogen of law firm Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark, has prompted Canada Soccer to promise operational and structural changes.
These include contractually mandated reporting of unethical behaviour and new software to facilitate confidential reporting, plus education regarding Canada Soccer’s code of conduct and ethics.
Canada Soccer chief executive Kevin Blue said: “The findings of the independent investigator reveal that the drone incident in Paris was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams.
“We are working to change Canada Soccer into a federation that Canadians trust and are proud of, and one that is not defined by unfortunate actions of the past.”
Herdman facing disciplinary proceedings
Canada Soccer has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against Englishman John Herdman, from his time in charge of the Canada men’s national team from 2018 to 2023 for “potential violations of the Canada Soccer code of conduct and ethics”.
Herdman resigned from his position with the Maple Leafs in August 2023, to become head coach of Major League Soccer outfit Toronto FC.
The 49-year-old was invited to be interviewed for the investigation but “due to scheduling issues” the parties were “not able to reach a mutually agreed time to meet”.
An allegation of drone usage by a member of the men’s coaching staff, to film the training session of an opponent at the 2024 Copa America, “was not substantiated” according to the report.
The report noted that current men’s national team boss Jesse Marsch, who was appointed in May 2024, communicated to coaching staff “that he did not approve” the use of “any efforts to surreptitiously film the practice sessions of opponents and any such practices would not be permitted”.
“He [Marsch] communicated that any practices that may have existed under [name removed] leadership regarding the use of drones were not continuing under his leadership,” the report said.
Neither Canada Soccer chief executive Blue nor its president Peter Augruso were found to have condoned or been aware of the use of drones for surveillance of opponents.
