Canada spying scandal threatens to tarnish their Tokyo football gold

Claims that drone use was not a one-off cast doubt over Bev Priestman’s future in women’s game and team’s 2021 glory

The reputation of one of the most respected coaches in the women’s game lay in tatters on Friday after the spying scandal engulfing the Canada team led to Bev Priestman being sent home from the Paris Olympics in disgrace.

Three years ago Priestman, who is from County Durham in England, oversaw one of Canada’s proudest modern-day sporting achievements, as her side upset the odds to win a historic first gold in women’s football. Back-to-back nominations for the Best Fifa coach of the year award followed for Priestman, who had been Phil Neville’s assistant with England at the 2019 World Cup. Such was her standing in the game that, when Neville announced in April 2020 that he would leave the England head coach role, Priestman was initially installed as the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed him.