Wellington hire Priestman, coach banned in drone scandal

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Canada coach banned for her role in a drone spying scandal at the Paris Olympics has been hired as head coach of New Zealand’s only professional women’s team.

Bev Priestman, who recently finished a one-year suspension from all soccer-related activity, signed a two-year deal with Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand’s capital city.

Priestman’s wife, Emma Humphries, was hired by Wellington Phoenix in December as the club’s academy director. Humphries, a former New Zealand international, previously coached Canadian youth women’s national teams.

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It’s a twist of fate for Priestman, who was suspended after a FIFA investigation found that she along with other coaching staff had used drones to spy on the New Zealand women’s national team prior to Canada’s first match at the Paris Olympics.

She was fired as head coach of Canada after as review by Canada Soccer.

“We’re really pleased to be able to welcome Bev back to football,” Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison said Wednesday. “We all know she’s had a period of time away from the game. But we understand the circumstances and we’re really comfortable with this appointment.”

Priestman guided Canada to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and has coached at four Women’s World Cups, three Olympic Games and three FIFA youth World Cups. She also has previously worked in New Zealand, in coaching development in Wellington and then as New Zealand Football’s development director.

In a statement, Priestman thanked the club and officials for “giving me this chance to come back to the game I love and hopefully bring some special moments to not only this city, but this country.”

Phoenix “is a fantastic club with big ambitions, world-class facilities and a phenomenal fan base,” she said. “We have a responsibility now to fly the flag for this country and try to do something special.”

Wellington Phoenix plays in Australia’s top-flight women’s competition, A-League Women, and Priestman is targeting the title.

“There’ll be a hunger and a desire there because we know we want to achieve a first for this club and to do that is going to take something special,” she said in the club’s statement.

Stephen Conroy, chairman of Australian Professional Leagues, said Priestman’s signing was a “fantastic endorsement” for the competition.

“Bev is a world-renowned national team head coach and Olympic champion,” Conroy said. “And her experience and expertise will be a huge boost for the up-and-coming squad at the Phoenix.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story. ESPN writer Jeff Kassouf also contributed.