Former Canada women’s football coach Beverly Priestman has opened up about the tough time she and her family faced after the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Priestman, who is originally from England, says she did not feel safe living in Canada after being banned from football for one year by FIFA.
Now, Priestman is ready to begin a new chapter. On Wednesday, she was officially announced as the head coach of New Zealand’s women’s club, Wellington Phoenix. This is her first job since the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal and the controversial ban.
Spying Scandal at the Olympics
Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal made headlines worldwide during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Priestman and two other staff members from the Canada women’s national football team were caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand’s training session before their group-stage match. The drone captured video footage of New Zealand’s game plan, which was against FIFA’s fair play rules.
Once the incident came to light, FIFA launched an investigation and decided to ban Priestman and two others for 12 months. However, even before FIFA issued the ban, Canada Soccer had already removed Priestman from her position. They discovered that drone spying had happened before the Olympics too , this meant the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal had a longer history than first thought.
The event turned into a media storm. Reporters camped outside her home, and news outlets ran story after story about the incident. Priestman said, “It was an absolute media frenzy. You’ve got people knocking at your door and everything, and I’ve got a little boy. Without going into too much detail, it was very difficult. We knew we had to get out of that country.”
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Priestman Leaves Canada for Her Family’s Safety
In her first public comments since the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal, Priestman admitted how dangerous and stressful life in Canada became. “I didn’t feel safe [living in Canada],” she said. “That’s being brutally honest. It was very difficult for my family, and I have to live with that.”
The Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal not only impacted her coaching career but deeply affected her family life. The constant attention from the press, the negative coverage, and online abuse made it impossible to live a normal life. She added, “Without going into too much detail, it was very difficult.”
Priestman said her main focus became protecting her young son from the media chaos. She and her family made the hard decision to leave Canada permanently, seeking peace and a fresh start elsewhere. For months, she stayed out of the spotlight, dealing with the fallout of the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal.
A New Beginning with Wellington Phoenix
Now that the one-year ban is over, Priestman is getting a chance to rebuild her career. On Wednesday, she was named the head coach of Wellington Phoenix, a women’s football team in New Zealand’s A-League Women. The same country that was affected by the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal is now giving her a second chance.
This opportunity marks a new chapter for the 39-year-old. Even with the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal behind her, many still recognize her talents as a coach. Before the scandal, Priestman had built a strong reputation. She worked as Phil Neville’s assistant with England’s women’s team and famously led Canada to Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021.
Despite the heavy criticism she faced during the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal, football experts still believe she can bring value to the game. Her hiring shows that some clubs are willing to look beyond controversy if a coach can offer experience and leadership.
As for the Canadian women’s team, they faced major penalties. FIFA deducted six points from them at the 2024 Olympics because of the Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal. Still, the team made it past the group stage and into the quarterfinals, where they lost to Germany on penalties.
The Beverly Priestman Spying Scandal is one of the most talked-about controversies in recent women’s football history. From Olympic glory to public disgrace, her journey has seen extreme highs and lows. But now, with a new job and a new country, Priestman is hoping to move forward, restore her image, and focus on football once again.
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