Has John Herdman escaped accountability for Canada Soccer's drone-spying scandal?

The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) is no stranger to controversy.

Whether it is player grievances or threatening to compete under protest, ongoing labour disputes, allegations of mishandling an egregious case of abuse, or the dronegate debacle, it all seems so insidious.

That doesn't even include a very intense investigative report by The Globe and Mail that alleges workplace toxicity from former coach Bev Priestman and former assistant coach Jasmine Mander (both were formally terminated after the results of a third-party investigation) complete with intimidation and sex toys.

I don't doubt that the work for those at Canada Soccer has been difficult. I sometimes wonder what Kevin Blue, CEO and general secretary, was thinking when he accepted the position last March. I can't think of a time when the only appropriate meme I could think of relating to CSA was one of a dog in a burning house saying "This is fine."

During that time, there have been incredible successes. Under coach Jesse Marsch's leadership, the men's team has never looked more invigorated and exciting. A recent win over Suriname cements they are no longer underdogs but a team to be reckoned with.

Despite an unsettled time for the women in addition to being plagued with injuries, the team earned a draw against Spain — the reigning World Cup champions — and boldly presented Marie-Yasmine (Mimi) Alidou, who was frightfully underutilized (dare I say overlooked?) during Priestman's tenure.

It goes without saying that there are a lot of dedicated people working at CSA to improve the soccer ecosystem in Canada, to grow the game and to re-establish Canada Soccer as a leader in the world as opposed to something to be mocked. The promise of a domestic women's