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A recent report from TSN says that Canada’s national soccer teams have been spying on opponents for years. They even used drones.
Just this week, the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team got into trouble. The New Zealand team noticed a drone watching their practice and reported it.
French officials found out that the drone was being controlled by Joseph Lombardi. Lombardi was not officially part of the Canadian team, but worked with them.
Afterwards, Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were sent home. The head coach, Bev Priestman, chose to sit out the first game against New Zealand. Shortly after, she was suspended from the Olympic Games.
The TSN report also says this wasn’t the first time. The same spying methods were used during the women’s gold medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and a game against Panama in 2022. The men’s team also filmed the US soccer team’s practice in 2019 and a game against Honduras in 2021.
The report also says that team staff were told they had to spy with drones. If they didn’t, they could lose their jobs. One person confirmed that they were replaced when they didn’t want to film opponents for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Kevin Blue, the CEO of Canada Soccer, said they are looking into this problem. He also said the players didn’t know about the spying and asked that they not be punished more.
FIFA is also looking into what happened.
Despite the problems, the Canadian women’s team beat New Zealand 2-1. They then beat France and Colombia. Canada plays against Germany next on August 3.
Vocabulary
- Report – a written description of an event; story; article; the results of a study or project
- National – Relating to a whole country;
- National team – This is a group of players who represent their whole country when they play. They wear the country’s colors and play in big tournaments.
- Spy – To secretly watch someone to learn their secrets;
- Opponent – a person or group that is against you; a person/group that disagrees or is trying to beat you; enemy; challenger
- Even – also; used to show that something is surprising, unusual, unexpected, or extreme
- Drone – an aircraft/vehicle that does not have a pilot/driver but is controlled by someone far away/remotely
- Notice – to become aware of; to see; to learn of something
- Report – to make a complaint to a person in authority about something or someone;
- Official – a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Control – To make something do what you want it to; to “drive” or “pilot”;
- Officially – done in a formal and authorized way; real
- Afterwards – at a later or future time; after that
- Assistant – Someone who helps another person with their job
- Coach – team manager; the boss of a team; someone who supports you
- Head – leader, top person, boss
- Sit out – To not participate in a game or event; don’t play in a game
- Suspend – to stop or remove for a short time; temporarily reject
- Method – a way of doing something; procedure; technique; approach; way;
- Medal – A special prize or award often given for winning 🥇
- Film – To record video with a camera
- Staff – The people who work for a company or organization; workers
- Lose your job – To no longer have a job; to be fired; to be let go by your company
- Confirm – to prove true or accurate; to report that something is true or fact
- Replace – to take the place of; to substitute; to come after; to fill in; swap; exchange
- World Cup – FIFA World Cup is the largest soccer tournament in the world
- CEO (Chief Executive officer) – the top person in a large company; president; boss
- Look into – To investigate or research something
- Punish – discipline; penalize; To make someone suffer for doing something wrong by hurting them, forcing them to pay money, or sending them to prison
- Despite – In spite of; or regardless of; even though; although
- Beat – to defeat an opponent or win a competition; to win a match/game against another person/team
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it’s fair for sports teams to use spying as a way to gain an advantage? Why or why not?
- Do you believe the players should be punished for something they didn’t know about? Why or why not?
- If you were a player on the Canadian women’s soccer team, how would you feel about the spying scandal? Would it affect your performance?
- Should the Canadian women’s soccer team be stripped of their medals if it’s proven that the spying helped them win?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
A recent _____ from TSN says that Canada’s national soccer teams have been spying on _____ for years. They even used drones.
_____ this week, the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team got into _____. The New Zealand team noticed a drone watching their practice and reported it.
_____ officials found out that the drone was being controlled by _____ Lombardi. Lombardi was not officially part of the Canadian _____, but worked with them.
Afterwards, Lombardi and _____ coach Jasmine Mander were sent home. The head coach, Bev Priestman, chose to sit out the _____ game against New Zealand. Shortly after, she was suspended _____ the Olympic Games.
The TSN report also says _____ wasn’t the first time. The same spying methods were used _____ the women’s gold medal win at the _____ Tokyo Olympics and a game against Panama in 2022. The _____ team also filmed the US soccer team’s practice in _____ and a game against Honduras in 2021.
The report also says that team _____ were told they had to spy with drones. If they didn’t, they could lose their _____. One person confirmed that they were replaced when they didn’t want to _____ opponents for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Kevin Blue, the _____ of Canada Soccer, said they are looking into this problem. He also _____ the players didn’t know about the spying and _____ that they not be punished more.
FIFA is also looking into _____ happened.
Despite the problems, the Canadian women’s team _____ New Zealand 2-1. They then beat France and Colombia. Canada plays against Germany next on August _____.
