A drone, an arrest and journalism - the downfall of a celebrated soccer team seems inevitable
A reputation in tatters, and getting worse by the day, will the Canadian women's soccer team survive the Olympic Games in Paris?
At first, assigning a fun little monicker like “dronegate” seemed apropos of the mini-scandal that was coming out of France ahead of the Paris Olympic Games that officially get underway today. Now it’s just sad, embarrassing and, if I’m being honest, shocking.
On July 22, police were alerted to reports of a drone flying over the pitch where the New Zealand women’s soccer team were conducting a closed practice in Sainte-Etienne, France. Police attended and ultimately arrested Joseph Lombardi, a Canadian women’s soccer team analyst, seizing his equipment, footage and photographs - from that day, but from two days earlier, as well. Flying an unauthorized drone is strictly prohibited during the Games.
(Lombardi was swiftly given an eight-month suspended sentence. The wheels of justice move quickly in France, it seems.)
Cheating, the beefy sidebar to this tale has quickly become the story of Canada at an Olympic Games that had yet to begin. And, according to TSN, past Games, too. It turns out that other instances of Canadian soccer coaches spying on opponents via drones during closed practices has been, well, a practice of Canada’s.
Three media statements in as many days by the Canadian Olympic Committee on this single issue is three too many. Drip, drip, drip on an issue like this is a result of those at the centre struggling to tell the truth. But eventually drips burst dams.
As of today, three of Canada’s women’s soccer coaches, including its head coach, Bev Priestman, have been suspended and left the team. “Sent home.” Canada played its first game of the tournament yesterday, beating New Zealand 2-1.
That win, future wins and past wins, including a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games (played in 2021), are now tarnished. Who knew what and when and for how long will eventually come out; it always does. Sadly, for the Canadian women on the pitch, there’ll be a whole lot of side-eyeing from here on out.
Before Priestman was suspended, a statement Wednesday by the COC on the initial drone incident involving Lombardi quotes the coach as saying, “This does not represent the values that our team stands for.” Yes it does. Of course it does. The team’s values have been made evident to all. Do we need a World Anti-Drone Agency as a check against cheaters now?
Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer’s chief, said he will investigate the “systemic ethical shortcoming” as the scandal roils. A statement on Wednesday, before news of alleged past incidents emerged, said they will “seek to understand the historical culture of competitive ethics within all of our programs.” That’s a helluva word salad. But it seems clear that cheating has been something Soccer Canada has, startlingly, grappled with. Clear writing, too.
Then there’s FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, announcing its own investigation. FIFA has never been a bastion of honesty, openness and transparency, but let’s wait and see what they conclude, though more importantly, what actions flow from it.
The COC, from this humble seat, have been doing all the right things from a communications perspective. Statements, availabilities, making clear the sanctions against individuals, etc. They’re plumbers chasing leaks all around the Olympic house as waters rise. These penny-drops, though, can only be sustained for so long. Questions will keep coming as more news gets reported. In other words, this isn’t going away. It is certainly not a distraction Canada’s Olympians should be forced to endure, but will.
A reputation can take years to build, moments to trash. Innocent bystanders are the immediate casualties today, namely the players on Canada’s women’s soccer team. The longer this story is allowed to have a life, however, the more damage gets done.
In the name of cauterizing this bleed, at what point does the COC send the entire women’s soccer team home, as unfair to the athletes as that may be? Or will the International Olympic Committee’s hand be forced?
What a HOT mess.