Former athletes demanding bearing the responsibility from Canada Soccer and the Vancouver Whitecaps after a series of sexual allegations against two coaches are calling for the suspension of high-ranking international soccer executive Victor Montagliani, pending the investigation and the criminal penalty, as a result.
First of all, let’s puzzle out who Victor Montagliani is. The
president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and a FIFA vice-president, he is known as a crucial person in Canadian soccer.
Earlier Montagliani was Canada Soccer director of national teams in 2008 when Canada’s under-20 women’s team coach Bob Birarda was quietly dismissed due to player complaints of inappropriate behaviour. He was fired from the post of Whitecaps women’s team head coach at the same time.
But, the most awful thing in this issue is that Canada Soccer did not suspend Birarda’s coaching licence and he started coaching girls in the Vancouver area within months. In December 2020, he was blamed for nine sexual offences, approximately committed
between 1988 and 2008.
For now the Canadian Soccer Association gives no comments about why the dismissed national team coach didn’t face suspension.
Canada Soccer has stated little about the circumstances surrounding Birarda’s departure, and only agreed to an investigation after Canada’s Olympic gold medal women’s soccer team demanded it.
Soccer: CNC news