Things have taken a U-turn for Canada during this Olympics. The 2020 gold medalists were coming in for a repeat, but the recent developments have given an enormous blow to Canada. Officials temporarily suspended Bev Priestman, the head coach, following various reports alleging her staff engaged in spying activities during the 2024 Paris Games. But more importantly, the news suggests a considerable history, bringing serious concerns for the fans. However, providing comfort, former USMNT star Alexi Lalas chose to go soft on the players despite some hard times.

Speaking on his State of the Union podcast, Lalas expressed compassion for the players who may be innocent in this case. He stated, “It’s not the way if you’re in Canada you wanna start off the tournament. And this is still in the end the Canadian women’s national team, which is certainly been successful over the years and is looking to have a successful one,” hinting at the good motives of the players.

Nevertheless, he continued, “And you know the players probably have no idea and have no connection to this, except they’re ultimately going to be tainted because they’re going to be looked at least in this tournament as cheaters,” suggesting that they have to bear the brunt for what the staff has been alleged of committing.

Early accounts suggested that assistant coach Jasmine Mander and her subordinate analyst, Joseph Lombardi, were primarily responsible for using a drone over New Zealand’s training facility. Consequently, Bev Priestman dropped herself out of coaching the team in the first game against New Zealand.

Despite this, once the latter two individuals, including Lombardi, were apprehended, news surfaced that Priestman had been relieved of his coaching duties for the upcoming tournament. However, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s decision, following Canada Soccer, rings alarm because of some strong speculations.

Questions raised on Canada soccer team staff’s past amid Bev Priestman’s Dismissal

Assistant coach Andy Spence will temporarily take over, but the topic regarding the staff’s involvement in spying may take some time to settle. While Canada Soccer dismissed Bev Priestman, recent news indicates similar spying incidents took place before the Paris games.

TSN informed that the coaching staff and contractors of both men’s and women’s teams may have been using drones for a long time according to various sources. Reports also claimed that their sources had a first-hand understanding of the exercise, which may take time to examine.

Moreover, the board has announced that Priestman will be absent until the conclusion of a recently launched external investigation, further complicating the situation. Lalas, however, voiced concern about the players’ ability to handle these accusations. And whether they could achieve winning results under these circumstances will be interesting to see.