Soccer News
Lauletta: No one will emerge a winner in Canada drone scandal
Nearly one week in, there are still very few certainties surrounding the Canada drone scandal that’s dominated headlines at the Paris Olympics. However, it is becoming clear that when the dust settles, there won’t be any winners, and some of the losers will be nothing more than innocent bystanders.
It is against these two backdrops that discussions have raged in the six days since New Zealand reported a suspicious object hovering above their training session. Since then, the story has grown from two rogue assistants being sent home into a full-blown scandal that appears to date back years and encompasses the men’s program as well.
With the start of the Olympic tournament looming, swift action was required and Canada were docked six points in group play. making all three matches must-wins. Head coach Bev Priestman plus the two assistants originally identified, were also handed one-year bans by FIFA. And there is likely more to come.
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Were the punishments handed down on Saturday fair? I think they got it about as right as possible under the circumstances. Calls for throwing Canada out of the tournament were understandable, but not well thought out. With no possibility of bringing in an alternate team, trimming the field to 11 would have meant a severe imbalance in sorting out group play—especially with third-place teams going through—and cost two teams opportunities to play games. Plus, fans who waited years to see an Olympic event would have suddenly been shut out.
Ultimately, it is a decision that cannot be undone, and four days of deliberating was likely not enough even if the initial evidence appeared overwhelming.
More sanctions are coming. The involvement of the men’s team has yet to be addressed, and that could get mighty dicey with the 2026 men’s World Cup slated to be hosted by a trio of countries—including Canada. Being cohosts could save the team from being removed from that tournament, or it could lead to the severe embarrassment of Canada not being at its own World Cup, or so much in between.
Sticking with the women’s side though, what happens next? Priestman issued a statement over the weekend in which she apologized and took accountability but did not specifically cop to being involved in the drone program. It is notable though that she did not “take accountability” until she was sent home and suspended. When the story originally broke, Priestman recused herself from the New Zealand match while the two staffers directly involved were sent home in shame. Someone was willing to let those staffers take the heat and move on with things.
In her statement, Priestman said that the gold medal her team won in Japan three summers ago was “earned through sheer grit and determination despite reports to the contrary.”
And therein lies the biggest problem once cheating is uncovered. It blurs the lines about what is legitimate and what was aided. You can take all the drone footage you want of an opponent’s practice, but it still takes hard work, skill, and all the other catchy adjectives we like to use in order to achieve sporting success. But good luck convincing your detractors you did it the right way. The gold medal was won in large part due to Stephanie Labbe’s glorious ability to stop opponents’ penalty kicks, a feat immediately called into question over the weekend. In light of recent discoveries, skepticism is fair, even if evidence is circumstantial at best.
Just like baseball’s steroid era permanently blighted all records from those years whether or not players were known users, so too has this incident called into question every Canadian soccer result since—well we don’t know yet how this sentence should end.
Some former players have spoken up, notably longtime captain Christine Sinclair. In her statement, Sinclair said there was neither footage nor information from a drone shared in any meeting she was in. Sinclair is almost universally beloved, but that claim seems impossible to believe. You don’t fly drones over opponent’s training sessions if you’re not going to use the data. Maybe no one ever said, “This is what we got from our illegal drone surveillance,” but that hardly means it never happened.
And yes, the players are likely to get the shortest end of this stick. Maybe some participated willingly while others did not. But with the women’s game recently mired in abuse scandals that often silenced players, speaking out over a little added edge about your opponent’s practice habits was not likely top of mind. Canada in particular has been hit hard by horrendous abuse scandals at the youth levels of soccer and hockey. Spying on opponents doesn’t hurt anyone on that level, but has its consequences.
On Sunday, the embattled Canadian side nabbed a dramatic goal in the 12th minute of stoppage time to defeat France. That not only kept them alive but set them up to advance—six-point deduction and all—with a win over Colombia on Wednesday. Any other result will send them home. They are essentially playing knockout soccer in search of a second consecutive gold medal and fourth straight overall medal.
Whenever it ends, however, it ends, the players and program will return to their clubs amid an uncertain future. It’s the price paid for cheating, deserved or otherwise.
I’m Thomas Clark, from the ever-sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. At 47, my life’s not your usual nine-to-five grind; I’m the voice behind the screen at FC Soccer News. My days are a mix of passion and professionalism as I weave words for the love of the game. University of Arizona’s where I honed my skills, but the real education came from the hours spent in local cafes, my eyes glued to my laptop, and my mind playing the field.
Soccer’s not just my beat—it’s the rhythm to my life. I analyze plays with a tactical mind and share insights that cut through the noise. Outside work, my appetite for adventure is as strong as a striker’s kick. The chef in me loves experimenting in the kitchen, and when the hiking trails call my name, I answer with boots laced tight. I’ve got music in my bones, and you’ll often find me lost in the melodies of a well-strummed guitar.
Away from the adrenaline of sports and the hum of daily life, my world orbits around my family. Dinner tables are our huddles, where laughter and stories bounce around like a well-played ball. Weekends are sacred—reserved for family bike rides and movie marathons, where I pass down my love for classics to my two bright kids. Parenthood’s more rewarding than any byline, and it’s taught me the true value of teamwork. My wife is my rock, my steady defender, offering unwavering support through every deadline and draft. Together, we’ve built a life that’s as dynamic as the games I cover—a blend of commitment, joy, and the unending chase of a story worth telling.
