The fallout from the “spy-gate” scandal at the Paris Olympics continues as Canadian players publicly criticise their former coach, Bev Priestman, who was banned for a year by FIFA after their team’s analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand’s practice.
Despite Canada reaching the quarter-finals with a six-point deduction, players Evelyne Viens and Gabby Carle expressed deep dissatisfaction with Priestman, accusing her of failing to take responsibility for the incident and creating an environment where they felt undervalued and fearful of making mistakes.
Both players noted a marked improvement in team morale and support under interim coach Andy Spence, who took over after Priestman and other staff members were sent home.