Canada used drones before and Tokyo gold could be 'tarnished'

Canada have used drones in football tournaments prior to the Paris Olympics and their Tokyo 2020 women's gold medal could be tarnished, officials said on Friday.

The developments emerged after Bev Priestman was removed as Olympics head coach for Canada's women's team, following the flying of a drone over New Zealand's training session on Monday.

Priestman, 38, was judged as "highly likely" to have been aware of the incident, leading to her suspension by Canada Soccer.

Canadian media reported that both of the country's senior teams - men's and women's - have relied on drones for years.

Canada Soccer chief executive Kevin Blue confirmed he had received "anecdotal feedback" related to drone use during the men's team's run to the Copa America semi-finals this summer and that coach Jesse Marsch had been made aware of it.

"I am aware of an instance of attempted drone usage at the Copa America," Blue said.

"I have spoken with our current head coach about the incident after it occurred and I know he denounced it as a practice to his staff."

Blue said there may be a "systemic ethical shortcoming" that needs to be addressed.

Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive David Shoemaker said there "appears to be information that could tarnish" Canada's women's football triumph from the Tokyo Games.

Shoemaker said: "It makes me ill, it makes me sick to my stomach to think that there could be something that calls it into question."

Priestman is a former assistant coach to Phil Neville with the England women's team. She became Canada boss in October 2020, prior to the delayed Olympics in Japan.

She "voluntarily" withdrew from her side's opening 2-1 victory over New Zealand on Thursday, while Jasmine Mander, Priestman's assistant, was sent home along with "unaccredited analyst" Joseph Lombardi.

In a statement on Wednesday, Priestman said she took responsibility for the actions of her colleagues after a scouting report filed by Lombardi was sent to Mander.

On Thursday, a French court said Lombardi had been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to flying a drone in an urban area without a licence.

Blue said he hoped Fifa, football's world governing body, would not consider sanctions against the country's national team players.

"We admire deeply the will and determination of this group," he said.

"The players themselves have not been involved in any unethical behaviour and frankly we ask Fifa to take that into consideration."