1 00:00:06,707 --> 00:00:10,467 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,747 --> 00:00:14,987 Speaker 1: from Newstalk ZB We go significant punishments for the Canadian 3 00:00:15,027 --> 00:00:19,107 Speaker 1: women's football team at the Paris Olympic Games. FIFA has 4 00:00:19,147 --> 00:00:23,267 Speaker 1: announced a six point deduction from their group tally at 5 00:00:23,307 --> 00:00:27,347 Speaker 1: the Games. That've been fined two hundred thousand Swiss francs, 6 00:00:27,707 --> 00:00:30,227 Speaker 1: which is nearly four hundred thousand New Zealand dollars, and 7 00:00:30,267 --> 00:00:33,787 Speaker 1: their head coach, Bev Priestman and two members of her 8 00:00:33,867 --> 00:00:39,147 Speaker 1: staff have been banned from all football activity for the 9 00:00:39,147 --> 00:00:43,107 Speaker 1: period of a year. Canadian support staff twice used drones 10 00:00:43,667 --> 00:00:46,627 Speaker 1: to spy on New Zealand training sessions ahead of their 11 00:00:46,667 --> 00:00:51,587 Speaker 1: games opener on Thursday. Canada won the match two to one, 12 00:00:51,627 --> 00:00:56,147 Speaker 1: meaning they go from minus six to minus three and 13 00:00:56,187 --> 00:00:59,587 Speaker 1: stay last in Group A. Incidentally, New Zealand don't get 14 00:00:59,587 --> 00:01:04,547 Speaker 1: the points, it's just Canada who lose them. Dylan Dyson 15 00:01:04,747 --> 00:01:08,587 Speaker 1: is an Ottawa based sports who joins us on Weekend Sport. Dylan, 16 00:01:08,627 --> 00:01:11,267 Speaker 1: thanks for leading us your expertise. What did you make 17 00:01:11,307 --> 00:01:14,827 Speaker 1: first of all of these sanctions handed down by FAFA. 18 00:01:15,867 --> 00:01:19,307 Speaker 2: Yeah, Jason, I thought these were some pretty heavy handed 19 00:01:19,827 --> 00:01:24,147 Speaker 2: sanctions that were given to the Canadian women's national team. 20 00:01:24,427 --> 00:01:26,587 Speaker 2: You know, it's a triple whay. It's the points deduction, 21 00:01:26,867 --> 00:01:30,987 Speaker 2: it's the suspension of the coach, and it's the financial 22 00:01:31,067 --> 00:01:34,627 Speaker 2: fine as well. I mean, anyone here who follows Canadian 23 00:01:34,707 --> 00:01:37,987 Speaker 2: soccer knows that Canada soccer has been in financial turmoil 24 00:01:38,027 --> 00:01:40,947 Speaker 2: for some time, so you know, just the extra fine 25 00:01:41,027 --> 00:01:42,667 Speaker 2: just you know, ads on top of it all. But 26 00:01:43,067 --> 00:01:47,027 Speaker 2: like you said, a minus three points total after one 27 00:01:47,107 --> 00:01:50,867 Speaker 2: game at the Olympics, I mean, I've never seen that 28 00:01:50,907 --> 00:01:53,947 Speaker 2: before in my life. We've seen you points deductions for 29 00:01:54,107 --> 00:01:58,427 Speaker 2: teams like Juventus or Everton, Nottingham Forrest this past year. 30 00:01:59,587 --> 00:02:02,387 Speaker 2: I've never seen the points total in the negatives. And 31 00:02:03,107 --> 00:02:05,707 Speaker 2: you know, all of this together seems very heavy handed 32 00:02:05,747 --> 00:02:08,307 Speaker 2: and I feel extremely bad for the players. I think 33 00:02:08,307 --> 00:02:12,227 Speaker 2: that's a sentiment all across Canada. It's the poor judgment 34 00:02:12,787 --> 00:02:17,187 Speaker 2: from the coaching staff to you know, blatantly cheat like this. 35 00:02:17,387 --> 00:02:21,707 Speaker 2: I mean, Canada are defending gold medal champions from the 36 00:02:21,707 --> 00:02:26,227 Speaker 2: Olympics in women's soccer, and you know there's no need 37 00:02:26,267 --> 00:02:28,467 Speaker 2: for them to go out and try and cheat this way. 38 00:02:28,507 --> 00:02:32,267 Speaker 2: They have a strong team and it's just it's unethical 39 00:02:33,187 --> 00:02:37,507 Speaker 2: in Canadians in Canada's view, and you know, Canada has 40 00:02:37,627 --> 00:02:40,067 Speaker 2: this perception that we're all very nice over here, and 41 00:02:40,147 --> 00:02:42,787 Speaker 2: to an extent that is true. But you know, with 42 00:02:43,147 --> 00:02:45,587 Speaker 2: that personality, you know, we also feel a great deal 43 00:02:45,627 --> 00:02:47,667 Speaker 2: of shame when things like this happen. 44 00:02:48,387 --> 00:02:51,747 Speaker 1: Sounds like a similar kind of psyche to what we 45 00:02:51,867 --> 00:02:54,947 Speaker 1: have here in New Zealand. How long do you think 46 00:02:55,027 --> 00:02:56,867 Speaker 1: this has been going on? Do you have a gut 47 00:02:56,947 --> 00:02:57,427 Speaker 1: feel on that. 48 00:02:59,227 --> 00:03:03,867 Speaker 2: It's it's really tough to think about how long that's 49 00:03:03,867 --> 00:03:07,947 Speaker 2: been going on, because not long ago, just a couple 50 00:03:07,987 --> 00:03:11,307 Speaker 2: of days ago. John Herdman, who is currently head coach 51 00:03:11,347 --> 00:03:15,187 Speaker 2: at Toronto f C in the MLS, he was the 52 00:03:15,187 --> 00:03:20,067 Speaker 2: women's national team head coach prior to bev Priestman, and 53 00:03:20,107 --> 00:03:21,867 Speaker 2: you know, he says, you know, this wasn't going on 54 00:03:22,867 --> 00:03:26,227 Speaker 2: under my watch. You know, he was head coach for 55 00:03:26,587 --> 00:03:30,107 Speaker 2: you know a number of years with the Canadian women's 56 00:03:30,147 --> 00:03:34,787 Speaker 2: national team and you know, drone usage recently kind of 57 00:03:34,907 --> 00:03:37,267 Speaker 2: when I say recently in air quotes, recently kind of 58 00:03:37,267 --> 00:03:43,867 Speaker 2: came into heavy usage in sports and recreationally. But he 59 00:03:43,907 --> 00:03:46,227 Speaker 2: says that never took place. And then you know, our 60 00:03:46,507 --> 00:03:50,587 Speaker 2: our sister station here in Canada TSN reported that, you know, 61 00:03:50,707 --> 00:03:55,627 Speaker 2: John Herdman showed drone footage to you know, upwards of 62 00:03:55,667 --> 00:03:59,667 Speaker 2: a dozen seventeen players on the Canadian men's national team 63 00:03:59,707 --> 00:04:02,547 Speaker 2: when he left the women's team, he joined the men's 64 00:04:02,627 --> 00:04:06,947 Speaker 2: national team. Now he's with Toronto FC. Now it's the 65 00:04:07,107 --> 00:04:10,107 Speaker 2: priestsman who's done this and has been successful with Canada. 66 00:04:10,227 --> 00:04:14,627 Speaker 2: So it's very disheartening and it's tough to imagine how 67 00:04:14,707 --> 00:04:20,107 Speaker 2: far back this could go. And to look at Canada 68 00:04:20,147 --> 00:04:24,227 Speaker 2: soccer as an organization. We have come so far in 69 00:04:24,267 --> 00:04:27,387 Speaker 2: such a short period of time over the last three, 70 00:04:27,547 --> 00:04:32,067 Speaker 2: four or five years, you know, great qualification campaign for 71 00:04:32,107 --> 00:04:35,467 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty two World Cup, a great showing at 72 00:04:35,467 --> 00:04:39,427 Speaker 2: the most recent Copa America tournament, and to think a 73 00:04:39,467 --> 00:04:44,067 Speaker 2: lot of that could be tarnished by the actions and 74 00:04:44,267 --> 00:04:48,747 Speaker 2: poor judgment of you know, a few coaching staff members. 75 00:04:49,307 --> 00:04:52,867 Speaker 2: It's a real gut punch to Canadian soccer fans. 76 00:04:53,667 --> 00:04:55,307 Speaker 1: Do you think the play is new? 77 00:04:59,747 --> 00:05:04,027 Speaker 2: That's a great question. I mean there's been a lot 78 00:05:04,067 --> 00:05:09,227 Speaker 2: of former women's national team players come out to say 79 00:05:09,587 --> 00:05:14,587 Speaker 2: they didn't know, you know, our greatest ever player, Christine Sinclair, 80 00:05:14,667 --> 00:05:18,067 Speaker 2: who scored you know, over three hundred goals for Canada. 81 00:05:18,467 --> 00:05:20,867 Speaker 2: She says, you know, they never saw any footage of 82 00:05:20,907 --> 00:05:25,587 Speaker 2: this type. You know, former goalkeepers coming out saying, I 83 00:05:25,667 --> 00:05:29,587 Speaker 2: did my research on penalty shootout to you know, win 84 00:05:29,707 --> 00:05:34,787 Speaker 2: US games. I never saw footage like that. So it's 85 00:05:35,307 --> 00:05:37,667 Speaker 2: you want to believe these players who put their heart 86 00:05:37,667 --> 00:05:40,467 Speaker 2: and soul into the match, who you know, kiss the 87 00:05:40,507 --> 00:05:45,827 Speaker 2: badge in pride every time they win for Canada, and 88 00:05:45,907 --> 00:05:48,387 Speaker 2: so you want to be on their side and believe 89 00:05:48,547 --> 00:05:52,427 Speaker 2: what that they're saying they never saw any drone footage 90 00:05:52,507 --> 00:05:56,867 Speaker 2: or any any footage of that was using spying of 91 00:05:56,907 --> 00:06:02,107 Speaker 2: other teams. But the more this scandal has evolved and 92 00:06:02,187 --> 00:06:06,347 Speaker 2: developed here on Canadian soil, the more we're learning about it. 93 00:06:06,427 --> 00:06:10,907 Speaker 2: You know, you know, did John Herdman have any influence 94 00:06:10,987 --> 00:06:13,627 Speaker 2: in this? Did Bev Priestman, you know, learn some of 95 00:06:13,667 --> 00:06:17,707 Speaker 2: these tactics from John Herdman. It's all very murky, and 96 00:06:18,227 --> 00:06:22,707 Speaker 2: it's you hope the players didn't know much about it 97 00:06:22,787 --> 00:06:25,107 Speaker 2: and it was kept within the coaching staff, but it's 98 00:06:25,147 --> 00:06:28,027 Speaker 2: it's impossible to say. And I mean, frankly, I don't 99 00:06:28,027 --> 00:06:30,187 Speaker 2: think we're going to have players come out and admit 100 00:06:30,267 --> 00:06:31,787 Speaker 2: that they were part of a chieting scandal. 101 00:06:31,867 --> 00:06:36,507 Speaker 1: So of course no beef Priceman as a Sai band 102 00:06:36,627 --> 00:06:39,267 Speaker 1: for a year. But this is the end of her 103 00:06:39,427 --> 00:06:43,227 Speaker 1: surely as head coach of the Canadian women's football team, 104 00:06:43,267 --> 00:06:43,707 Speaker 1: isn't it. 105 00:06:45,507 --> 00:06:48,667 Speaker 2: I mean you have to imagine, so, I mean, a 106 00:06:48,747 --> 00:06:50,867 Speaker 2: year out of football, it's just going to be damaging 107 00:06:50,987 --> 00:06:56,747 Speaker 2: for anybody. But like I said earlier, I mean US Canadians, 108 00:06:57,027 --> 00:07:01,427 Speaker 2: we prod ourselves on you know, being ethical, being fair 109 00:07:01,787 --> 00:07:05,187 Speaker 2: in everything we do that includes sport, and the shames 110 00:07:05,227 --> 00:07:10,667 Speaker 2: that the nation right now from this you drone gate 111 00:07:10,867 --> 00:07:17,267 Speaker 2: scandal that it's being called she is I can probably 112 00:07:17,267 --> 00:07:20,267 Speaker 2: say with confidence from my opinion that she will not 113 00:07:20,387 --> 00:07:24,187 Speaker 2: be returning to the Canadian women's national team. I just 114 00:07:24,227 --> 00:07:28,587 Speaker 2: can't see Canada Soccer taking her back as a head coach, 115 00:07:29,107 --> 00:07:32,227 Speaker 2: especially with new leadership at the top of Canada Soccer 116 00:07:32,307 --> 00:07:37,347 Speaker 2: trying to you know, sort out what it's called as 117 00:07:37,387 --> 00:07:41,907 Speaker 2: a systematic failure in terms of you know, this these 118 00:07:41,947 --> 00:07:45,707 Speaker 2: ethical findings. The Canada Soccer is doing an external or 119 00:07:45,747 --> 00:07:49,627 Speaker 2: having an external investigation done, you know, following these revelations 120 00:07:49,667 --> 00:07:52,867 Speaker 2: and you know, new CEO Kevin Blue he said, you know, 121 00:07:53,307 --> 00:07:56,107 Speaker 2: he used that word systematic more than once in the 122 00:07:56,187 --> 00:08:00,187 Speaker 2: most recent press conference, So that gives you an indication 123 00:08:00,347 --> 00:08:04,467 Speaker 2: that this kind of behavior, these actions go back much 124 00:08:04,507 --> 00:08:07,867 Speaker 2: further than just you know, this one time use. So 125 00:08:08,187 --> 00:08:11,867 Speaker 2: it's it's you know, in my view, near impossible to 126 00:08:11,907 --> 00:08:15,027 Speaker 2: say that preasonable will return to the Canadian women's national. 127 00:08:14,707 --> 00:08:18,507 Speaker 1: Team and just back onto the grass. Dylan. As we've 128 00:08:18,627 --> 00:08:21,707 Speaker 1: mentioned the six point deduction, the three they got for 129 00:08:21,747 --> 00:08:24,227 Speaker 1: the winner of New Zealand. They are at minus three. 130 00:08:24,307 --> 00:08:27,427 Speaker 1: They could get to three points if they beat both 131 00:08:27,467 --> 00:08:32,227 Speaker 1: Columbia and France, so all is not lost. But what 132 00:08:32,267 --> 00:08:34,227 Speaker 1: do you think this will do to the to the 133 00:08:34,267 --> 00:08:39,107 Speaker 1: playing group. Will they be galvanized, will they be demoralized, 134 00:08:40,027 --> 00:08:42,667 Speaker 1: what sort of what do you expect from the players? 135 00:08:44,387 --> 00:08:46,547 Speaker 2: Well from let me let me say this rate from 136 00:08:46,587 --> 00:08:48,947 Speaker 2: a job, from a fans perspective, I think a lot 137 00:08:48,987 --> 00:08:52,107 Speaker 2: of fans think it's near impossible for the team to 138 00:08:52,227 --> 00:08:56,147 Speaker 2: dig itself out of this minus three points haul right now. 139 00:08:56,547 --> 00:09:01,507 Speaker 2: But as a player, I think it's going to motivate 140 00:09:01,587 --> 00:09:03,787 Speaker 2: them in the fact that they're going to go out 141 00:09:03,867 --> 00:09:06,027 Speaker 2: there and they have to prove now that you know 142 00:09:06,147 --> 00:09:10,387 Speaker 2: they're not relying on drone footage, you know, spying tactics 143 00:09:10,387 --> 00:09:12,507 Speaker 2: on other teams just to be able to win. They're 144 00:09:12,507 --> 00:09:14,747 Speaker 2: gonna want to go out there show that they have 145 00:09:14,867 --> 00:09:20,347 Speaker 2: the skills, the fortitude, the team spirit and the the 146 00:09:20,427 --> 00:09:24,187 Speaker 2: ethical play that can beat any other team in the world, 147 00:09:24,307 --> 00:09:27,947 Speaker 2: as they did at the last Olympic Games. So I 148 00:09:27,987 --> 00:09:30,627 Speaker 2: really think it's going to motivate them to show what 149 00:09:30,667 --> 00:09:33,827 Speaker 2: they can do. And like, like we've said, honey, a 150 00:09:33,827 --> 00:09:37,387 Speaker 2: minus three points total, if a team can come back 151 00:09:37,387 --> 00:09:40,947 Speaker 2: from that and qualify out of a group stage, I 152 00:09:40,987 --> 00:09:43,267 Speaker 2: mean that'll be talked about for years to come. 153 00:09:44,267 --> 00:09:46,467 Speaker 1: Dylan, great to get your insight. Thanks for joining us 154 00:09:46,507 --> 00:09:48,707 Speaker 1: across New Zealand. We'll look forward to seeing how this 155 00:09:48,747 --> 00:09:51,027 Speaker 1: plays it certainly on the grass and u and off 156 00:09:51,067 --> 00:09:53,107 Speaker 1: the field as well in the in the time of hit. 157 00:09:53,147 --> 00:09:55,027 Speaker 1: I appreciate you taking the time for a chat today. 158 00:09:55,147 --> 00:09:56,387 Speaker 2: All right, cheers, thanks Jason. 159 00:09:56,427 --> 00:09:59,707 Speaker 1: Now, thank you, Dylan. That is Dylan Dyson. Off to 160 00:09:59,787 --> 00:10:04,467 Speaker 1: AA based sports reporter for more from Weekend Sport with 161 00:10:04,627 --> 00:10:08,027 Speaker 1: Jason Fine. Listen live to News Talk ze B weekends 162 00:10:08,067 --> 00:10:11,107 Speaker 1: from midday or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.