Vanessa Gilles said Canada’s players were “so tired of defending themselves” as the fall-out from the drone scandal continued to overshadow the defence of their Olympic crown.
Canada came back from 1-0 down to see off France 2-1 at the Paris Games on Sunday night – Gilles scoring the winner 12 minutes into injury-time in Saint-Etienne.
It was a plucky effort from the Canadians who are still reeling from being docked six points after team officials were found guilty of using a drone to spy on opening-round opponents New Zealand. Coach Bev Priestman has been suspended for a year along with analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander.
An emotional Gilles said the players should not be blamed and insists they got “no advantage” from Priestman’s actions.
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What did Gilles say?
“It’s been 72 hours where we have no control over anything,” Gilles told ESPN. “We’re not part of any of this, and we’re getting sanctioned as if we just got caught doping. We did nothing. We’re just so tired of defending ourselves over something we have no control over.
“We got no advantage. We go out there, we play our hearts out, we work for this all year round, day in and day out. So it’s just the uncontrollables that are the biggest anger and biggest frustration.”
Despite the deduction, wins over New Zealand and France mean 2020 gold medal winners Canada can advance to the knockout stages with a win against Colombia on Wednesday.
It would be a remarkable achievement given the scandal that has engulfed the team.
Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan said: “There’s so much negativity directed toward us, and so many things that are just mean and messed up.
“We feel like we have nothing to do with what all these things that are gone on. We’re under attack right now. We’re the dart board. We unfortunately had to take that. For us to take that. In order for us to come together and really shut the world out was a really hard decision.
“You have to trust that everyone is doing it, and we did.”
Priestman apologizes
Priestman released a statement on Sunday apologizing for her actions and said she would co-operate with the investigation.
She wrote: “I am absolutely heartbroken for the players, and I would like to apologise from the bottom of my heart for the impact this situation has had on all of them.
“I know how hard they have worked following a very difficult year in 2023, and that they are a group of people who care very much about sportsmanship and integrity.
“As the leader of the team on the field, I want to take accountability, and I plan to fully co-operate with the investigation.”
