[shermanator]

FIFA has published the original decision and the following two emails from an analyst to Bev Priestman and from Bev Priestman to HR from March 2024 are pretty damning. (spoiler tagged for length)

NSFW!

On the same day, in response to the aforementioned letter from the Secretariat, the CSA submitted the email exchange “that led to the suspension the CSA to suspend Ms Priestman, pending the results of a fulsome investigation”. The CSA explained that the email exchange, which the CSA General Secretary received on 25 July 2024, shows an analyst resisting a request from Ms Priestman to engage in flying drones for "scouting purposes”, and thus “call[ed] into question whether this practice had been systemically embedded in the culture of the women’s national team”. The email exchange read as follows:

Email dated 20 March 2024 from Ms Morgan Drew (a Performance Analyst of the Canadian Team) to Ms Priestman:

“Please see attached document with information regarding our potential Olympic opponents in today’s draw. If you need any further info, please just let me know.

Also just wanted to say thank you in terms of our last 2 individual meetings over the past week, I have found them very beneficial in gaining a better understanding of roles and responsibilities and appreciate your time.

As discussed yesterday, in terms of the “spying” conversation, I came off the meeting with clarity that you understood my reasons for me being unwilling to do this moving forward.

-- Morally
--- My own reputation within the analysis field
-- Potentially being unable to fulfil my role on a matchday.

Moving forward I will have a discussion with Joey and reach out to the wider tech team with regards to how we could potentially look for other solutions. But just wanted to confirm that you will not be asking me to fulfil the role of “spying” in the upcoming camp & future camps.

I am sure you will respect my reasoning and thank you for your understanding”.

Email dated 20 March 2024 from Ms Priestman to Mr Mark Thompson:

“Hi Mark

Seeking your advice and input here regarding this formal email on spying. It's something the analyst has always done and I know there is a whole operation on the Men's side with regards to it (we had Shane in with us recently and he was outstanding in this area). Yesterday in a meeting when discussing, I asked Morgan to propose a alternative solution as for scouting it can be the difference between winning and losing and all top 10 teams do it. I received this more 'formal' email this morning and so just after guidance really as to what from a HR stand point I can do or do I need to find another solution in resourcing? It's a tricky one and it's formal for a reason I feel...

Thanks Bev”

https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/c15f6b...7-2024_DGR.pdf