Canada men's soccer team attempted to use drones at Copa America, CEO says amid spying scandal
Kevin Blue says attempt did not affect competitive integrity, without elaborating
The CEO of Canada Soccer says the men's national soccer team "attempted drone usage" during the Copa America tournament that wrapped earlier this month.
Kevin Blue said the facts of the men's attempted spying were "significantly different" from what happened in France in connection with the women's team, and that it was his understanding it didn't affect competitive integrity, but he would not offer details as he spoke with media from Paris on Friday.
Jesse Marsch, the head coach of the men's national team, was aware of possible drone use at that U.S. tournament after the fact, he said.
Blue said Marsch "denounced it as a practice to his staff."
Canada advanced as a guest country to the semifinals of the Copa America, South America's most important soccer tournament, before falling 2-0 to Argentina.
Blue was speaking after the women's team's coach, Bev Priestman, was suspended from the Olympic Games early Friday morning and two staff members were kicked off the soccer team Wednesday following reports a drone was used to spy on New Zealand team practices.
Blue said he's received "anecdotal feedback" about both programs that stretches back years and will require a full investigation, including how much the coaches knew. He did not give a timeline.
"The more I learn about this specific matter, the more concerned I get about a potential long-term and deeply embedded systemic culture of this type of thing occurring, which is obviously completely unacceptable," he said.
He defended the players, saying they "have not been involved in any unethical behaviour themselves."
Soccer's governing body, FIFA, is also looking into the matter, and the Olympic gold medal Canada's women's team won on penalty kicks against Sweden during the Tokyo Olympics is now under scrutiny. Priestman was Canada's head coach at that time, too.
Christine Sinclair, captain of Canada's team at Tokyo, wrote on social media that it was "unfortunate that the players of our national team have had to play through condemnable actions by some of their staff as they attempt to defend our gold medal. Actions players have no control over."
"I want to be clear that having been a national team player for 23 years, we were never shown or discussed drone footage in team or individual meetings I've been present for," she wrote.
Toronto FC coach John Herdman, a former coach of both the men's and women's teams, said he would help Canada Soccer with any investigation.
"I'm highly confident that in my time as a head coach at an Olympic Games or World Cup we've never been involved in any of those activities," he said.
With files from The Canadian Press