Priestman 'felt Unsafe' In Canada After Spying Ban

Former Canada women's coach Beverly Priestman says she did not consciousness safe remaining successful nan state pursuing her one-year prohibition for spying astatine nan 2024 Olympics.

The 39-year-old was appointed caput coach of New Zealand women's broadside Wellington Phoenix connected Wednesday.

It is Priestman's first domiciled since she was banned from shot activity for 12 months by Fifa pursuing a spying ungraded astatine nan Paris Games past summer.

England-born Priestman and 2 different members of Canada's unit were banned aft a drone was utilized to spy connected a training convention held by opponents New Zealand earlier their opening group-stage match.

Before a prohibition was issued, Priestman was removed arsenic caput coach by Canada Soccer after they discovered erstwhile drone usage against opponents which "predated" nan Olympics.

"I didn't consciousness safe [living successful Canada]," Priestman said.

"That's being brutally honest. It was very difficult for my family, and I person to unrecorded pinch that.

"Obviously it was an absolute media frenzy. You've sewage group knocking astatine your doorway and everything, and I've sewage a small boy. Without going into excessively overmuch detail, it was very difficult. We knew we had to get retired of that country."

As good arsenic a one-year ban, Priestman was fixed an eight-month suspended jailhouse condemnation aft pleading blameworthy to flying a drone successful an municipality area without a licence.

In her absence, Canada made it retired of nan group stages astatine nan Olympics - contempt being docked six points for nan incident.

They were knocked retired by Germany connected penalties astatine nan quarter-final stage.

Priestman, who served arsenic Phil Neville's adjunct for 2 years pinch England's women, guided Canada to Olympic golden astatine Tokyo successful 2021.