Government withholding funding 'related to suspended Canada Soccer officials'
CBC
Canadian sports minister Carla Qualtrough said Sunday that the government is withholding some of Canada Soccer's funding following a spying scandal involving the women's soccer team at the Paris Games.
Her statement came a day after FIFA docked six points from the squad, banned head coach Bev Priestman and two staff members for a year each and fined Canada Soccer around $313,000.
A team analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand team practices before the start of competition. The assistant coach he reported to and eventually Priestman were all kicked off the Olympic team and sent home.
Qualtrough said given that the women's program receives funding from Sport Canada, it is withholding funds "relating to suspended Canada Soccer officials" for the duration of their FIFA sanction.
A spokesperson for Qualtrough's office confirmed the funding in question is allocated for salaries, but that Sport Canada is still determining exactly how much should be withheld. The funding will not impact the overall available funding to the women's program, they said.
"Using a drone to surveil another team during a closed practice is cheating," Qualtrough said. "It is completely unfair to Canadian players and to opposing teams. It undermines the integrity of the game itself."
She added there was a "deeply concerning" pattern of behaviour at Canada Soccer.
"We must, and will, get to the bottom of this," Qualtrough said.
Earlier this week, Canada Soccer said it will conduct an independent external review. Chief executive officer Kevin Blue, who has been on the job for just a few months, said that he's investigating a potential "systemic ethical shortcoming."
The Canadian Olympic Committee said it was "exploring rights of appeal" regarding the six-point deduction. Messages left with the COC and the Court of Arbitration for Sport weren't immediately returned.
The point penalty did not eliminate Canada from the tournament but made its chances of qualifying for the knockout stage much more difficult.
WATCH l Canadian women's soccer team docked points, Priestman suspended by FIFA:
Former Canadian goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé — who helped anchor the team to Olympic gold three years ago — took to social media earlier Sunday to voice her feelings.
"Furious. Fuming. Sad. Heartbroken," she posted. "These players don't deserve this. They've been let down by so many of their own people, not just NT (national team) staff. Standing with these players and every player that has ever been part of this program, and worked so hard to build it, not tear it down."
