Former Canada women's football coach Bev Priestman has returned to the sport with A-League Women side Wellington Phoenix after serving a one-year ban for spying. Priestman signed a two-year contract and said the move to New Zealand was an opportunity to 'reset' her career.
Priestman admitted she 'didn't feel safe' living in North America following the ban, which stemmed from her team using a drone to spy on New Zealand before the Paris Olympics. 'We knew we had to get out of that country,' she said, adding that it had been difficult for her family.
The 39-year-old, who guided Canada to Olympic gold in Tokyo, said she was nervous about returning but felt coaching Wellington Phoenix would allow her to rebuild. She described how she celebrated her ban ending by coaching her son's under-7s team in the rain.
Priestman is prevented from discussing the spying incident in detail due to ongoing legal matters. However, she said she had spoken with players and officials in New Zealand and had learned from the experience, vowing to become a better coach.
Wellington Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison welcomed Priestman back, saying the club understood the circumstances and was 'really comfortable' with the appointment.
