NOV 09, V7N-An independent review into the use of drones by a staff member of Canada's women's soccer team at this year's Paris Olympics revealed a "pattern of unacceptable culture" and lack of oversight, according to Canada Soccer. The scandal erupted when New Zealand accused Canada’s team of disrupting their training session with a drone, leading to a six-point deduction in the Olympic tournament for Canada. Additionally, Canada's head coach Bev Priestman, who had guided the team to a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, was banned for a year by FIFA.

Canada’s women’s team reached the quarter-finals but lost to Germany, while the incident has raised concerns about broader issues within the Canadian national soccer teams. Canada Soccer's CEO, Kevin Blue, acknowledged that the drone incident was symptomatic of deeper cultural and oversight issues within the organization. He promised to release "key conclusions" from the investigation within a week and to outline steps to address the findings.

Priestman has apologized and accepted responsibility, as reports suggested that both Canada's senior men’s and women’s teams might have engaged in drone spying for years. The men's team, for instance, made their first World Cup appearance in 36 years in 2022. Peter Augruso, the chair of Canada Soccer's board, emphasized that the organization is committed to addressing the situation and instituting change, though he acknowledged that change would take time.

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