Details emerge of Canada Soccer’s ‘obsessed’ culture of drone spying
Canadian soccer coaches, both with the men’s and women’s teams, have been embroiled in a scandal involving the use of drones for spying on opponents. This culture of spying within the organization dates back years before the infamous incident at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where a Canada Soccer employee was caught flying a drone over a New Zealand team practice.
According to sources who spoke to Radio-Canada’s Enquête, around 20 former players, managers, agents, coaches, and employees with links to Canada Soccer revealed that the obsession with obtaining information about opponents was pervasive within the organization. The sources, who requested anonymity due to fear of professional reprisals, described the drone spying as just the “tip of the iceberg.”
The roots of this spying culture can be traced back to when John Herdman coached the women’s national team. It is believed that Herdman was the one who initiated the use of drones for spying on opponents, a practice that continued when he took over the men’s national team in 2018. Sources indicated that Herdman passed this practice down to his successor, Bev Priestman, who is currently suspended pending the results of an independent review commissioned by Canada Soccer.
Former members of the Canadian women’s team revealed that drones were a systemic part of their preparation, with Priestman being described as “obsessed” with having information about her opponents. The use of drones extended to spying on opponents of Canadian youth national teams as well.
Canada Soccer employees faced intense pressure from top coaches to participate in the spying activities. Refusal to participate could result in being sidelined or blacklisted, affecting one’s career progression within the organization. The use of drones became institutionalized within Canada Soccer, with Herdman reportedly using them regularly for filming training sessions and analysis.
Despite denials from Herdman and Priestman regarding the use of drones during major sporting events, multiple sources indicated that Canada Soccer executives were aware of the practice. Emails submitted to FIFA revealed discussions about spying practices, with one message suggesting that “all top 10 teams do it.”
The revelations of widespread spying within Canada Soccer have raised questions about the ethical standards within the organization. Players and staff members were put in difficult positions, with some expressing concerns about the lack of pushback against these practices from higher-ups.
As the results of the independent review are expected to be shared with the public, the future of Canada Soccer’s coaching staff and the organization’s reputation hang in the balance. It remains to be seen how Canada Soccer will address the fallout from this scandal and rebuild trust within the soccer community.
