This is not Canadian.
I cannot imagine the pressure the Canadian women’s soccer team is playing under at the Paris 2024 Olympics. How do you walk on the field and face your competition knowing they think you’re a bunch of cheaters? I imagine it’s even more difficult when you know they are right. Whether you cheated or not, somebody on your team did. Would bringing them home have been more humane? Or more just?
Winning under such circumstances, if possible, will be painfully glorious. The world will label such a victory as “they won by cheating.”
We will never know if the players took advantage of the drone footage. Knowing what part of the net an opponent would aim for with a penalty kick would be a huge advantage.
THE PENALTY IS NOT ENOUGH.
What really matters; this is not the Canadian way. Our values and standards are much higher and whoever broke these rules has blackened our image and reputation on the world stage.
The perpetrators have made a mockery of the Olympic oath and of fair play and sportsmanship.
Bev Priestman and two staff members were sent home from the Olympics and handed a one-year suspension. Canada Soccer was given a $300,000,00 fine, and the Canadian government says they are withholding financing, although it is unclear who they are withholding it from, and what impact this will have on the sport. I am not sure this could even be called a slap on the wrist.
In this article, it states:
The now-suspended head coach of the Canadian women’s soccer team said in an email last year that “spying” on opponents “can be the difference between winning and losing” and suggested other teams practice it — including the Canadian men’s team.
A SLAP ON THE WRIST IS NOT ENOUGH
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs to investigate. If, as suggested, this is common practice and teams feel it is okay because everyone else is doing it, then serious action needs to be taken.
How many of you travel 20 kilometres over the speed limit on a highway because everyone else is doing it and you’re just moving with the flow of traffic? How many would continue to speed if the rules were changed and the minimum fine for speeding was $500.00 and 3 demerit points? What if upon reaching 10 demerit points the vehicle you are driving would be seized, on the spot for 60 days and you would have to pay the fine plus storage fees to get the vehicle back? Would you continue speeding then?
That’s what needs to happen here.
The three people sent home need to be given a lifetime ban from all national and international sports. The IOC needs to investigate how widespread the issue of sying is. If it is in fact, common among the top 10 teams, as suggested, then soccer as a sport needs to be banned from the next 3 summer Olympics. At the end of the ban, it would only be allowed back into the Olympics if FIFA can prove they have cleaned up their act.
The actions of Canadian Soccer are an embarrassment to us as a nation and we should all be ashamed. Now we need to be part of the solution and make sure the perpetrators receive far more than just a slap on the wrist.
