Paris Olympics: Canada’s soccer drone scandal highlights the need for ethics education

Lianne Foti, University of Guelph and Kathleen Rodenburg, University of Guelph
Fri, July 26, 2024 at 2:55 p.m. MDT·4 min read

The Canadian women’s soccer team has become the centre of controversy after reports from the 2024 Paris Olympics revealed the team used a drone to observe the New Zealand soccer team’s training sessions. That has led to New Zealand’s team lodging a formal complaint with the International Olympic Committee.

Canada’s Olympic committee has since apologized for the incident and removed the head coach of the women’s soccer team, Bev Priestman, from the Canadian Olympic team. Two other team staffers have also been sent home and one has received a suspended prison sentence.

This is not the first time in history that an incident like this has occurred. Further reports indicate this incident is part of a broader pattern, suggesting that Canada’s national soccer teams have a history of using drones and other spying techniques to observe opponents’ training sessions. Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue recently revealed that the men’s team also attempted to use drones to spy on other teams at the recent Copa América championship in the United States.

This practice highlights the urgent need for comprehensive ethical education and stricter regulations to prevent such breaches in sports.
Unethical behaviour in sport

The “win at all costs” mentality pervasive in sports competitions has driven several organizations to commit similar infractions.

In the 2019 “Spygate” scandal in English football, Leeds United’s then-manager Marcelo Bielsa admitted to sending a staff member to spy on Derby County’s training sessions.

During the 2007 Women’s World Cup in Wuhan, China, Denmark officials requested FIFA investigate after discovering men with cameras at a closed training session. Despite the Danish team’s complaints, FIFA chose not to take further action.

That same year, the New England Patriots’ “Spygate” scandal involved the organization videotaping the New York Jets defensive signals during a game, resulting in significant fines and the loss of draft picks.

Similarly, the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal from 2017-2018 involved the use of a camera system to record and steal signs from opposing teams, leading to heavy penalties and the firing of key personnel. Additionally, in 2018, Barcelona Football Club faced accusations of hiring a company to create fake social media accounts to criticize players and opponents.

These ethical breaches, driven by the intense pressure to succeed in professional sports, are just the tip of the iceberg. What sets the Canadian soccer scandal apart is that it occurred on the world stage, causing reputational damage, not only to women’s soccer and soccer overall, but also to the Canadian Olympic team.

This incident raises questions about Canada’s commitment to ethical standards in sports, potentially impacting the nation’s international reputation and trust in Canadian athletes.

These kinds of incidents can damage a country’s image and credibility. Recall the outrage when Russian figure skating judges rigged the results during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Lack of ethical sensitivity

Unless foundational changes are made, these infractions will continue to persist.

What is often lacking in competitive sports is ethical sensitivity among its participants. This includes the inability to interpret a particular situation as an ethical issue and a lack of awareness of the possible actions and their effects on the concerned parties.

The prevailing approach to unethical behaviour in sports often involves investigating, fines and firing personnel. That is quickly followed by forgetting about the incident. However, this pattern of actions fails to address or rectify the underlying causes of unethical conduct in sports.

There are several reasons why sports infractions continue despite the significant consequences. Business management and psychology experts have explained how the ability to recognize and correctly evaluate ethical dilemmas is essential for making good ethical decisions.

They identify that the degree of moral intensity — how personally invested one feels — as well as organizational barriers and cultural norms, determines the likelihood of recognizing unethical behavior.
Comprehensive ethics education

Several factors in professional sport culture numb our moral intensity. In competitive sports, the pressure to succeed and the culture surrounding it can often cloud a person’s ethical judgment, leading to decisions that prioritize winning over ethical considerations. The drive to win overshadows the ethical implications of certain behaviours.

There are also cultural norms embedded in sport organizations that can make certain competitive behaviours seem acceptable, even if they border on unethical.

In addition athletes and coaches might believe their actions are unlikely to cause harm. That is particularly so if the immediate reward, such as winning a game, diminishes the perceived ethical implications. Additionally, in sports, the focus on team success can create a sense of distance from those who may be harmed by unethical actions.

There is a crucial need for comprehensive ethics education. This education should empower sports professionals to navigate ethical quandaries, enhance their decision-making skills and understand the incentives and organizational pressures that can impair their judgment.

With national pride, coaching careers and athletes’ futures on the line, it is crucial we truly embrace and teach the values that embody good sportsmanship.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organisation bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Lianne Foti, University of Guelph and Kathleen Rodenburg, University of Guelph

Read more:


The chaotic history of the Olympics in Paris, where one games nearly ended the movement – and the other helped save it


Before there was diving and relays, there was the Poetry Olympics


Politics, security and the Seine: where the Paris Olympics’ flashpoints will be

Canada Olympics drone scandal, explained: Why women's national team coach is out in Paris

Jon Hoefling, USA TODAY
Updated Fri, July 26, 2024 


The Canadian Olympic Committee removed women's national soccer team coach Bev Priestman at the Paris Olympics on Thursday amid stunning allegations of using drone surveillance to spy on the opposition.

Two staff members — assistant Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi — were also sent home before Priestman was suspended by Canada Soccer for the tournament. It all marked a steep fallout after the Canadian website TSN reported Canada's men's and women's teams had used drones to spy on opponents for years.

Canada, the reigning gold medalist, beat New Zealand 2-1 on Thursday in its Olympic opener. Priestman, Mander and Lombardi did not coach in the game.

"The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team Head Coach Bev Priestman from the Canadian Olympic Team due to her suspension by Canada Soccer," the COC statement said. "Assistant coach Andy Spence will lead the Women's National Soccer Team for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games."

Here's what to know about the drone allegations:

USWNT: 2024 Paris Olympics - Women's soccer group stage action

USWNT: Team comes out swinging at Paris Olympics but leaves 'a lot of room for improvement'
Canada drone surveillance surfaces at the Olympics

According to TSN, Lombardi was caught by French police retrieving a drone that had been flying over the training facility for the New Zealand national team. French police investigated and found additional video of New Zealand's practices, as well as text messages between Lombardi and Mander indicating that Mander was aware of Lombardi's actions.
Canada Olympic drone timeline, investigations

It's unclear when the surveillance started. TSN reported it could trace back prior to a match against the United States on Nov. 15, 2019. The U.S. won the game, 4-1.

The spying has been consistent ever since, according to the report published Thursday, with instances in 2021, '22 and '23. That includes the buildup to the 2021 CONCACAF match between the men's team and Honduras, which stopped practice in Toronto after noticing a drone flying overhead, the report said.

"I’d imagine there’s probably a lot of people in Canada that fly drones," John Herdman, then the coach of Canada's men's national team, said at the time.

"When a big team like Honduras turn up, I’m sure people are probably interested in what they’re doing when they come into our country," Herdman continued. "So I know for sure we won’t be heading into people’s countries too early because with drones these days, people can obviously capture footage. You’ve got to be really careful."

Jesse Marsch, current coach for the men's national team, was not implicated in the reporting.
What Bev Priestman said about Canada drone scandal

It wasn't immediately clear how much Priestman knew about the scandal.

FIFA and Canada Soccer launched investigations into the spying allegations Wednesday. Canada Soccer intends to make its findings public.

"I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program," Priestman said Thursday in a statement, announcing the decision to voluntarily withdraw from coaching against New Zealand, prior to the COC decision. "In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld."
When does Canada play next?

Canada's next game is scheduled for Sunday, July 28 against France. Canada and France are both 1-0 in Group A play.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canada Olympics soccer scandal: Why Bev Priestman is out as coach

Canada’s men’s and women’s soccer teams have reportedly been using spying drones for years

Andrew Joseph
Thu, July 25, , 2024

Dec 5, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Overview of B.C. Place Stadium renamed "Christine Sinclair Place" for one night only, in honor of the Canada captain's final international outing. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports


The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris haven't even had an opening ceremony yet, and we're already dealing with a potential cheating scandal.

According to a report from New Zealand media, the New Zealand women's national soccer team caught Canada using a drone to spy on the squad's Monday practice session in Saint-Etienne -- the site of Thursday's Group A match between the two sides.

French police have been stationed at the various practice facilities to be on the look out for drones during team sessions and spotted the drone during the Football Ferns' session. With this Canada-New Zealand incident, a member of the Team Canada support staff was detained by police.


New Zealand made a formal complaint to the IOC integrity unit. And Canada didn't deny the accusation, blaming a "non-accredited" staffer for going rogue with the drone. The Canadian Olympic Committee also issued an apology in its statement.


Canada -- the No. 8 ranked team by FIFA -- would have been considered heavy favorites against 28th-ranked New Zealand. But we'll have to see what sanctions -- if any -- are taken against Canada as group play opens.

Update: The Canada Olympic Committee reviewed the incident and uncovered that another drone was used to spy on New Zealand's July 19 practice session.

Team Canada sent home two staff members, and Canada women's soccer head coach Bev Priestman will sit out Thursday's match. She issued a statement:


“On behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologize to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada. This does not represent the values that our team stands for,” Priestman said. “I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program. Accordingly, to emphasize our team’s commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday. In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld.”

Update: According to a new report from TSN's Rick Westhead, Canada's men's and women's soccer teams have been using drones to spy on opposing programs for years, including during the women's gold medal run at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.