Former Canadian star Diana Matheson has thrown her support behind her country’s women’s soccer team following allegations of spy drones.
The retired midfielder criticized the scandal for drawing the attention of “the entire Canadian Olympic team” at the Paris games.
3
The Tokyo 2020 gold medalists, who face France tonight, face a battle to progress beyond the group stage after having six points deducted.
It comes after three Canadian national team officials, including Durham-born coach Bev Priestman, were suspended from football for a year after being accused of using drones to spy on New Zealand’s Olympic rivals.
Last night, Matheson, who retired in 2021 and was part of the teams that won bronze at the 2012 and 2016 games, shared his thoughts after FIFA penalized the defending champions.
The punishment comes after New Zealand made a complaint to the International Olympic Committee last week alleging a member of Canada Soccer’s support staff flew a drone during their training session.
Following the indictment, Joseph Lombardi, an “uncredentialed” analyst working for Canada Soccer, was arrested.
He later received an eight-month suspended sentence after a drone was deployed to spy on the Football Ferns ahead of a group stage clash between the sides.
On Saturday, FIFA announced that Canada’s coach Priestman, a former Lionesses No. 2, has been “suspended from participating in any football-related activities for one year.”
The Durham-born coach was, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee, “highly likely” to have been aware of two alleged incidents involving drones used to spy on her team’s opponents.
Priestman’s assistant Jasmine Mander and Lombardi, who served as a member of Canada’s team at last summer’s Women’s World Cup, were also banned from the sport for a year.
Other sanctions include a £175,720 fine for the Canadian Football Association.
Via her X account, Matheson, who is expected to establish a professional women’s soccer league in Canada in 2025, wrote: “It’s been a difficult week, to say the least, for Canadian women’s soccer players past and present .
“I didn’t say much because I didn’t really know what to say.
“Like many Canadians, I have been working through a lot of emotions on this story that has become a huge distraction not only for the WNT (women’s national team), but has also diverted attention from the entire Canadian Olympic team.”
“What I am one hundred percent sure of is that I am on the players’ side.
“The players who represent Canada know exactly what it means to represent Canada. What it means to be a Canadian athlete.
“I’m with you. Canadians are with you. Last game, next game, every game, we’re right there with you.
“Taking six points from us? All right, let’s take nine.
Canada, who defeated New Zealand 2-1 in their debut in Group A, can still reach the round of 16 of the women’s football competition at the Paris games.
3
However, the team needs to win the two remaining group stage games and will need other results to continue on their way.
Its squad contains several stars from the Women’s Super League past and present.
The players include Chelsea defenders Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence, and Arsenal and Aston Villa forwards Cloe Lacasse and Adriana Leon.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
