Details emerge of Canada Soccer's 'obsessed' culture of drone spying

Canadian soccer coaches with both the men's and women's teams were so "obsessed" with obtaining information about their opponents that they would pressure employees to take part in spying activities, Radio-Canada has learned.

Those spying activities were pervasive years before coaches were caught using a drone to spy on an opponent during the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to new information obtained by Radio-Canada's Enquête. 

Over the past few months, Radio-Canada spoke to around 20 former players, managers, agents, coaches and employees with links to Canada Soccer. Radio-Canada is not revealing their identities because they all fear professional reprisals. 

The sources said that what happened in France — when a Canada Soccer employee affiliated with the women's national team was caught flying a drone over a New Zealand team practice — is just the "tip of the iceberg." 

The sources described a culture of spying inside the organization that dates back years to when John Herdman coached the women's national team.

Canada Soccer suspected it was Herdman who started using drones to spy on opponents, according to statements submitted to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by Canada Soccer. 

Multiple sources said the coaches of the men's national team have been using drones for spying purposes since Herdman took over in 2018, continuing practices he had used in the past. 

Radio-Canada sources also said he passed the practice down to his successor, Bev Priestman, who is currently suspended awaiting the results of an independent review commissioned by Canada Soccer into drone spying at the organization.

The results of that review are expected to be shared with the public this week.

"'Bev [Priestman] worked with