(Paris) Last month, I met with the head coach at the heart of Canada Soccer’s spying scandal, Bev Priestman, in a Montreal hotel. The goal? To get to know the Canadians and their opponents better ahead of the Paris Games. After all, it’s not as if the Colombians and New Zealanders’ games are broadcast twice a week on RDS. She kindly described to me the other teams’ playing styles.
“But how do you study them?”
“We have all the necessary video. Before our preparation camp, our technical team presents what they see. Afterwards, we update the information based on the latest performances. We already have a clear idea of what awaits us. [à Paris]even for the elimination rounds. I don’t want any surprises. If we are to face Germany in the final, I want to know at a high level what to expect.”
And who does all this work?
“All of us. We pitch in. Someone watches the defense, the offense, the set plays, and then we come together to make it happen.”
What she didn’t tell me was that the team was also banking on a secret weapon.
A drone.
Let’s take off our white gloves: Canada cheated.
Sending a drone to film two New Zealand practices on July 20 and 22 meant stepping into the other team’s locker room. It allowed the Canadian coaches to guess the opponent’s lineup and tactical scheme in advance. A big, big advantage. The equivalent of a baseball hitter knowing the upcoming pitches.
Law enforcement arrested the drone operator in Saint-Étienne. His name? Joseph Lombardi. He is a Canada Soccer analyst who was in France without Olympic accreditation. He admitted to spying on the New Zealand team. The Canadian Olympic Committee, “shocked and disappointed” by the scandal, sent him home. His superior, assistant coach Jasmine Mander, was also expelled, even though she told police she had nothing to do with the acts committed. Bev Priestman is still here. The COC did not sanction her. A surprising, unjustifiable and inexplicable decision.
Bev Priestman has decided not to officiate Thursday’s match against New Zealand “in the interests of both teams, and to ensure that everyone knows that sportsmanship is maintained for this match.” Her assistant Andy Spence will take over. After that, it’s not as if Friday morning everything will be wiped clean and Canada Soccer will become a model of sportsmanship. Let’s see.
Do you really believe that Bev Priestman knew nothing about the spy operation?
Me neither.
At a press briefing in Saint-Étienne on Wednesday, she was asked by Radio-Canada: “Did you know something?” She apologized. She explained why she was not going to be on the sidelines on Thursday. But she never answered yes or no to the question. FIFA has opened an investigation into the violation of two articles of its disciplinary code. The federation specifically names Bev Priestman among those targeted by the proceedings.
This act of espionage of course contravenes all the rules of ethics. It is of course damaging for the New Zealanders, who have been preparing for this match for weeks. It is also insulting for the Canadian players. The message we are sending them is congratulations for your Olympic title in Tokyo, but now, to beat the New Zealanders, 28it is in the world, sorry, we have no choice.
You have to cheat.
Hello confidence. How can a head coach maintain the credibility of her group after an affront like that?
I invite you to note the first words of the press release she sent before her press briefing. “On behalf of our entire team, I would first like to apologize to the players and staff of New Zealand Football and to the players of Team Canada.”
I am trying to understand the cost-benefit analysis of this operation. The urgency of using a drone in a country where the terrorist alert level is at maximum, at a time when the police are on the lookout. The risk of ruining one’s reputation to find out whether a country neglected on the international scene will deploy a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2. What a waste.
This scandal, caused by Canada Soccer staff, is a huge distraction for the players. The return of Bev Priestman for the second game, against the host team France, will prolong the life of this affair even longer. It is an untenable situation.
On Wednesday, Bev Priestman insisted on her leadership, and that ultimately she was “responsible for any act committed within the camp.” So, by that logic, a decision is necessary.
His departure.