TORONTO 鈥� Former Canada coach John Herdman says he will co-operate with a Canada Soccer review into what CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue called what appears to be "a systemic ethical shortcoming" with the organization.
But Herdman declined to provide details of his experiences at the helm of the Canadian men and women on the issue of spying. He said he would share that with the Canada Soccer internal review
Herdman quit the Canadian men's team last August to coach Major League Soccer's Toronto FC.
Bev Priestman, a former Herdman assistant who took over the Canadian women's team two years after Herdman switched to the national men's side in January 2018, has been sent home from the Paris Olympics after allegations of team officials spying on New Zealand via drone ahead of their opening match at the games.
Herdman told reporters after Toronto's training session Friday that news of the spying scandal came as a "surprise and a shock." He said he found out about the scandal upon landing in France to see his son play for New Zealand against Guinea on Wednesday in the Olympic men's football competition.
Herdman said he was "devastated" for the Canadian players in France, because of the work they had put in to get there.
He said the players need the spotlight on their talents rather than the scandal, adding anything he says now will only fuel the controversy.
Herdman did say he has always gone to events like the Olympic Games and World Cup determined to uphold their sporting integrity and to follow the rules.
---
Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2024
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
