How will drone spying scandal impact growth of soccer in Canada?

An all-female soccer organization in Canada is hoping to use the Olympic drone spying scandal involving the women’s national team as a teaching opportunity.

BACKGROUND: Priestman apologizes, takes ‘accountability’ as feds withhold funding over drone-spying scandal

Kim Brassor, the co-founder of Future Girls Soccer, wants to teach young players to rise above whatever scandal may be happening off the field.

“They don’t understand the layers this involves,” Brassor said. “But their first conclusion is cheating, bad, soccer, bad, and we have turn that around, especially with the momentum of the women’s game. We as coaches have a responsibility to make sure that we are painting this picture in the right light.

“The bureaucracy of the game and the execution of gameplay are completely different.”

FIFA docked six points from the women’s team on Saturday after a team analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand’s practices before the start of competition. The penalty also included a fine for Canada Soccer and the suspension of three coaching staff members for one year, including head coach Bev Priestman.

On the pitch, Canada’s players responded with a late stoppage-time goal against France to their medal hopes alive.

“They have made the choice to rise above this and show that it doesn’t matter what happened, we are awesome players,” Brassor said. “We are just really good players that can execute.”

Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee appealed the six-point deduction against the team on Monday. The case is set to appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris in a closed-door hearing likely on Tuesday.

A ruling is expected Wednesday before Canada’s final group stage game against Colombia in Nice.

“Even if the points reduction changes from minus six points to minus three points, Canada already has a great chance to advance without a result against Colombia,” said Faizal Khamisa, a Sportsnet anchor. “If by some chance all six points are given back to this team, then they are guaranteed to move through, and then we start talking about ‘can they win this group and what are the chances going forward.’

“If nothing comes out of it, if the result stays the same, that they are deemed to have cheated, the players as well, and lose all six points and sit back at zero ahead of that game, they need to get a win against the Colombians on Wednesday.”

‘It’s still going to continue to grow‘

Shelby Steward, one of the head coaches at Future Girls Soccer, says she doesn’t feel the scandal will slow down the growth of soccer in Canada.

“There might be more consideration into coaching, and who parents might enrol their child with and looking at coaching qualifications and focus on development, but I think it’s still going to continue to grow,” Steward said.

Steward is sharing a simple message to young athletes.

“Continue to rally around the athletes,” she said. “Continue to support them. But also continue to support your path and your development. Just because there is one scandal, doesn’t change the progress that has been made with Canada Soccer and the future of Canadian soccer.”