Liberal, Bloc MPs vote not to summon soccer officials for cheating scandal questions

By Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press on October 21, 2024.

MPs from the Liberal Party and Bloc QuÃ©bÃ©cois voted not to summon coaches for Canadaâ€™s womenâ€™s soccer team to answer questions from a Parliamentary committee about the recent Paris Olympics cheating scandal. Canada coach Bev Priestman looks on during Group B soccer action against Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, July 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Scott Barbour

OTTAWA – A parliamentary committee will not question the coaches of the national women’s soccer team about the Paris Olympics cheating scandal, after Liberal and Bloc Québécois MPs voted against launching a study today.

The team was penalized during the Olympics this summer for cheating by taking drone footage of an opponent’s practice.

NDP MP Niki Ashton put forward a motion at the House of Commons heritage committee to study what role officials from the team and Canada Soccer played in the scandal.

Ashton wanted to hear from suspended head coach Bev Priestman, former head coach John Herdman, analyst Joseph Lombardi, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Canada Soccer’s CEO.

Ashton said the scandal damaged Canada’s reputation and there are still questions that need to be answered.

Six MPs from the Bloc and the Liberals voted down the motion, while five MPs from the Conservatives and the NDP voted in favour.