Canada football drone scandal: Calls to strip Tokyo Olympics gold medal

There are calls for Canada’s women’s football team to be stripped of its Tokyo Olympic gold medal – and for Australia to be awarded the bronze medal, after explosive new details about the drone spying saga have been revealed by FIFA.

There are calls for Canada’s women’s football team to be stripped of its Tokyo Olympic gold medal – and for Australia to be awarded the bronze medal, after explosive new details about the drone spying saga have been revealed by FIFA.

Canada women’s team won gold at the Tokyo Games, while Australia finished fourth after losing the bronze medal match to USA 4-3. Damning new documents released by FIFA reveal that spying has been used by the organisation for years. Raising questions over if the women’s team won their gold medal fairly in 2021.

It follows an analyst from the women’s team being caught using a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session twice during the lead up to their opening Olympic Games clash.

Initially Canadian coach Bev Priestman removed herself from the game with New Zealand.

Canada Soccer Association then put out a press release saying new information had come to light about other incidents of spying and that Priestman wouldn’t take part for the remainder of the Olympics.

The drone scandal has followed Canada throughout their Paris campaign.

FIFA conducted its own investigation after complaints from the New Zealand team were made.

It voted to ban Priestman, Lombardi and Mander for 12 months. It also handed down a hefty fine and docked Canada women’s football team of six points for the Olympic tournament.

The Association appealed the decision – rushing it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. After an emergency meeting the CAS dismissed the application.

After being made aware there were internal documents, likely to be the new information that CAS became aware of, that could aid in making a decision Canada Soccer Association were ordered to present all relevant materials.

FIFA included the internal emails in a report released online following the court decision.

It reveals that coach Priestman was well aware of the use of drones to spy on opposition teams and that it had been a practice for several years.

The report included an email from a performance analyst, whose name was redacted, sent to Priestman on March 20, 2024.

“Please see attached document with information regarding our potential Olympic opponents in today’s draw.

If you need any further info, please just let me know,” it reads.

“Also just wanted to say thank you in terms of our last 2 individual meetings over the past week, I have found them very beneficial in gaining a better understanding of roles and responsibilities and appreciate your time.“

As discussed yesterday, in terms of the “spying” conversation, I came off the meeting with clarity that you understood my reasons for me being unwilling to do this moving forward. — Morally, My own reputation within the analysis field — Potentially being unable to fulfil my role on a matchday.

“Moving forward I will have a discussion with Joey and reach out to the wider tech team with regards to how we could potentially look for other solutions. “But just wanted to confirm that you will not be asking me to fulfil the role of “spying” in the upcoming camp & future camps.

Stood down: Canada women's national team head coach Beverly Priestman. Picture: Getty Images

“ I am sure you will respect my reasoning and thank you for your understanding”.

After receiving that email Priestman sent an email to the HR department asking about the best way to move forward, with an analyst unwilling to spy. “Seeking your advice and input here regarding this formal email on spying.

It’s something the analyst has always done and I know there is a whole operation on the Men’s side with regards to it (we had in with us recently and he was outstanding in this area),” the email read.

“Yesterday in a meeting when discussing, I asked to propose a alternative solution as for scouting it can be the difference between winning and losing and all top 10 teams do it. I received this more ‘formal’ email this morning and so just after guidance really as to what from a HR stand point I can do or do I need to find another solution in resourcing? It’s a tricky one and it’s formal for a reason I feel.”

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The email highlights that drones and spying had been common practice among the Canadian national teams. It also references a person named Joey, as the name is not redacted it is understood this refers to Lombardi. Indicating he had been involved in using drones for spying to the Olympics incident.

Back in 2019 there was an allegation the men’s team then coached by John Herdman used a drone to record a US training session. Priestman was the assistant coach to Herdman when he coached the women’s team from 2006-2011.

Lombardi, the analyst who used the drone to record the NZ team, has also worked with Herdman in the past.

As FIFA’s investigation only related to the incident at the Olympics it means the door is open for further investigations and sanctions to be handed down.

This includes more fines and the possibility of stripping Canada of it’s Olympic gold medal for the 2020 Tokyo Games. If this were to happen Australia could be elevated into the bronze position.