Canada Soccer CEO breaks silence on Olympic drone scandal as he slams potential point deduction as 'unfair'... despite admitting 'unethical' behavior could go back years

Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue says the federation is in the process of reviewing what appears to be a 'systemic ethical shortcoming' when it comes to the usage of drones to spy on opposing teams.

Canada Soccer suspended three coaches - including head coach Bev Priestman - for their alleged attempt to gain an unfair advantage over their opening group stage opponents, New Zealand.

In a press conference with international reporters, Blue says the federation is attempting to directly address the issue that he's declared 'unacceptable' and is conducting an independent review. He added that these allegations could go back several years 'far preceding' both current men's and women's national team head coaches.

Blue says that the players at the Paris Olympics were 'not involved in any unethical behavior' and that to his knowledge, they had not seen any drone footage from unaccredited analyst Joseph Lombardi.

For this reason, and because of the federation's swift action to suspend the coaches, Blue stressed that a points deduction would be 'unfair' to the players.

Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue is addressing 'systemic' usage of drones to spy on teams

Canada women's coach Bev Priestman and two other coaches have been suspended from the Olympics after using a drone to spy on their opening group stage opponents, New Zealand

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Canadian soccer coach Bev Priestman is SENT HOME from Paris Olympics amid drone scandal as report claims the country's men and women's teams have 'relied on spying for years'

The issue of using drones to spy on opposition is apparently so systemic that there has even been reports of usage by the men's team as well.

Blue admitted to reporters that there was an attempt at drone use by someone on the men's team during this summer's Copa America. Canada finished fourth in the tournament, their first entry into South America's continental cup competition.

Blue said that Canada men's head coach Jesse Marsch learned about the drone use 'after the fact' and that he 'immediately and forcefully denounced' it to his coaching staff. 

The CEO added that the facts from the Copa America and the Olympics were 'significantly different' when it came to 'potential impact on competitive integrity'.

Andy Spence, who has taken over coaching duties at the Olympics from Priestman, has not been given an interim coaching title and no final decisions on coaching staff have been made. Blue believes that Spence was not aware of the issue of drone usage.

When asked by the CBC if Blue was considering withdrawing the team from the Olympic Games, the CEO replied, 'I've deeply considered and thought about the implications of this issue for the Canadian delegation. I've deeply considered and feel, frankly, very disappointed and frustrated about the distraction that it has created. 

'But I have not considered withdrawal of the team, again, primarily because we feel like we have addressed the situation swiftly and significantly It would be to the detriment of our players who have worked so hard and sacrificed quite a bit to be Olympians and themselves have not engaged in unethical behavior. 

Canada beat New Zealand 2-1 in their group stage opener on Thursday afternoon

'And I will not consider us withdrawing on the basis of the fact that we support our players as Olympians and their right to be here and their right to compete.'

Canada has already played its opening group stage match against New Zealand, a 2-1 victory over the Football Ferns.

New Zealand asked the International Olympic Committee prior to the match that no points be awarded to Canada as a result of the drone usage.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, FIFA confirmed it has opened proceedings against Priestman, Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander. 

It cited a 'potential breach of article 13 of the FIFA disciplinary code and article 6.1 of the regulations Olympic football tournaments games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024 – final competition, following incidents involving a non-accredited member of the Canadian delegation at the Women's Olympic football tournament, who is believed to have used a drone to record the New Zealand women's football team.'