Question Period Note: Government of Canada imposes funding conditions on Canada Soccer

The Government of Canada has imposed conditions on Canada Soccer’s funding to ensure accountability and transparency. 

The Government of Canada is committed to building a sport system that is safe and inclusive. 

Fair play is the highest principle of sport. The actions of those involved do not reflect Canada’s values or the values of sport.

The Women’s National coaching staff crossed the line. This is unacceptable. Canadians expect more, and players deserve better.

The funding to Canada Soccer is accompanied by greater monitoring, accountability and reporting measures. We are withholding funding relating to suspended Canada Soccer officials for the duration of their sanction. This is to move towards a positive organizational culture change. 

On May 30, 2023, the then Minister of Sport imposed payment conditions to Canada Soccer until it: completed a recipient compliance audit on their finances, hired a fully independent third party to conduct a governance review, and lastly, that Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Own the Podium work together and create an external advisory group that would offer support to Canada Soccer for addressing the audit recommendations and governance review as well as other priority areas such as operational and financial transparency. 

Since June 15, 2023, the Office of the Chief Audit Executive within the Department of Canadian Heritage has been working on the recipient compliance audit on Canada Soccer with external auditors, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024.

On February 29, 2024, Kevin Blue was named General Secretary & Chief Executive Officer at Canada Soccer.

On May 4, 2024, Peter Augruso was elected president at the Canadian Soccer Association annual general meeting.

In May 2024, the independent third party selected by Canada Soccer tabled the final report on the governance review.

On July 22, 2024, a member of the coaching staff from the Canadian women’s soccer team, unaccredited by the Canadian Olympic Committee, was arrested for using a drone to film the New Zealand team practice in Saint-Étienne, France, prior to the first Olympic tournament match at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

On July 24, 2024:

The Canadian Olympic Committee announced that two members of the women’s soccer national team coaching staff were sent back to Canada, that Head Coach, Bev Priestman, removed herself from her coaching the first match of the Olympic tournament, and that all Canada Soccer staff will undergo mandatory ethics training.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association launched an investigation on the drone spying incident.

Canada Soccer announced they will proceed with an independent external review to address the circumstances of the drone incident and will seek to understand the historical culture and competitive ethics within all their programs.

Minister Qulatrough released a statement recognizing that “fair play is the highest principle of sport. The actions of those involved do not reflect Canada’s values or the values of sport.” Minister Qualtrough confirmed at that point that she was in contact with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Soccer.

On July 26, 2024, Minister Qualtrough released a statement: “The Women’s National coaching staff crossed the line. This is unacceptable. Canadians expect more from you, and players deserve better.”

On July 27, 2024, following disciplinary proceedings against the Canadian Soccer Association, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association handed down the following decision by its Appeal Committee: “automatic deduction of six points from the Canadian Soccer Association’s Women’s representative team’s standing in Group A of Women’s Olympic Football Tournament”, “a fine of 200,000 Suisse Francs” (About $313,000 Canadian dollars), and “Beverly Priestman, Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander (…)suspended from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of one year”.

On July 28, 2024, Minister Qualtrough issued a statement “that the Women’s Program receives funding from Sport Canada, we are withholding funding relating to suspended Canada Soccer officials for the duration of their FIFA sanction”.

On July 31, 2024 Canada Soccer Association announced that Sonia Regenbogen of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark, LLP will lead the independent external review process on the drone incident.

None