EX-Canada star Diana Matheson has thrown her weight behind her nation’s women’s football side following spy drone allegations.
The retired midfielder slammed the scandal for drawing attention “from the entire Canadian Olympic team” at the Paris games.
The Tokyo 2020 gold medallists, who play France tonight, face a battle to progress beyond the group stage after having six points deducted.
Their match comes hours after the Canadian government announced it will withold funding for three national team officials involved in the spy drone allegations.
The officials, include Durham-born head coach Bev Priestman, who has been suspended from football for one year after being accused of using drones to snoop on Olympic rivals New Zealand.
Yesterday evening Matheson, who retired in 2021 and was part of the sides that won bronze at the 2012 and 2016 games, shared her thoughts following Fifa penalising the defending champions.
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Their punishment comes after New Zealand made a complaint to the International Olympic Committee last week, alleging a Canada Soccer support staff member flew a drone over their training session.
Following the accusation Joseph Lombardi, a “non-accredited” analyst working for Canada Soccer, was arrested.
He later received an eight-month suspended sentence after a drone was deployed to spy on the Football Ferns before a group stage clash between the sides.
On Saturday Fifa announced Canada boss Priestman, who is a former Lionesses No2, had been “suspended from taking part in any football-related activity for one year”.
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The head coach was, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee, “highly likely” to have known of two alleged incidents involving drones being used to spy on her team’s opponents.
Her assistant Jasmine Mander and Lombardi, who served as a Canada team staff member at last summer’s Women’s World Cup, were also banned from the sport for a year.
Other sanctions include a £175,720 fine for the Canadian Soccer Association.
Via her X account, Matheson, who is set to establish a professional women’s football league in Canada in 2025, wrote: “It’s been a hard week to say the least for Canadian women’s soccer players past and present.
“I haven’t had said much because I haven’t really known what to say.
“Like many Canadians I’ve been working through many emotions on this story that has become such a distraction for not just the WNT (women’s national team) but drawn attention away from the entire Canadian Olympic team.”
“What I’m one hundred per cent clear on though is that I stand with the players.
“The players that represent Canada know exactly what it means to represent Canada. What it means to be a Canadian athlete.
“I’m with you. Canadians are with you. Last game, next game, all the games, we are right there with you.
“Take six points from us? Fine, let’s go and get nine.”
Canada, who beat New Zealand 2-1 in their Group A opener, can still reach the knockouts of the women’s football contest at the Paris games.
However the team must win their two remaining group stage games and will need other results to go their way.
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Their squad contains a number of past and present Women’s Super League stars.
Players include Chelsea’s defenders Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence and Arsenal and Aston Villa forwards Cloe Lacasse and Adriana Leon.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
