Canadian women's soccer head coach Priestman receiving salary while suspended
CBC
Nearly two months after announcing an independent, external review into the Paris Olympics drone spying scandal, Canada Soccer, like everyone else, is waiting on its findings.
Canada women's coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi are serving one-year FIFA suspensions in the wake of New Zealand's Olympic Committee filing a complaint with the International Olympic Committee's integrity unit, alleging drones were flown over a pair of pre-tournament practice sessions.
Mander and Lombardi were sent home immediately. Priestman initially removed herself from coaching the opening match but left the team after allegations of a wider culture of spying.
FIFA subsequently banned all three "from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of one year."
Canada Soccer announced plans for the independent probe on July 24, saying it would "address the circumstances of the current matter, and more broadly, will seek to understand the historical culture of competitive ethics within all of our programs."
"The outcome of this review will be shared publicly and corrective actions, if necessary, will be taken," it added.
More than eight weeks later, Canada Soccer is still waiting for information to share. Priestman, while suspended, continues to get paid.
"Bev Priestman remains a paid staff member of Canada Soccer pending the conclusions of the review," Canada Soccer said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
On July 31, Canada Soccer announced it had retained Sonia Regenbogen from the law firm of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark to handle the review — "a focus on actions taken by Canada Soccer representatives related to the incident at the Olympic Games, and subsequently, any related matters of a historic nature."
It called Regenbogen "a leading Canadian expert in conducting independent workplace investigations."
"We will maintain prompt and transparent communication on this matter," Canada Soccer said at the time.
Asked for a status update on the review, Canada Soccer offered little.
"We appreciate that there is interest in how the investigation is progressing, and we too look forward to its conclusions and recommendations. Given that this is an independent external investigation, we are not in control of its timelines."
However, it said it remains "committed" to Regenbogen's review.
