Government withholding funding ‘related to suspended Canada Soccer officials’

PARIS — Canada sports minister Carla Qualtrough says the government is withholding some of Canada Soccer’s funding following a spying scandal involving the Olympic women’s soccer team.

FIFA docked six points from the team due to a drone spying scandal at the Paris Games.

It also banned head coach Bev Priestman and two assistants for a year each and fined Canada Soccer around $313,000.

Qualtrough says the funding, which is “related to the suspended officials,” is being withheld for the duration of their FIFA sanction.

She says there is a deeply concerning pattern of behaviour at Canada Soccer.

Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s practices before the teams played their opening game last Thursday.

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