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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Matthew Hall

Former Canada coach convicted of sexual assault not included on public sanctions lists

Both Canada Soccer and the Vancouver Whitecaps were widely criticized for how the organizations failed to adequately handle complaints about Bob Birarda’s behavior over many years.
Both Canada Soccer and the Vancouver Whitecaps were widely criticized for how the organizations failed to adequately handle complaints about Bob Birarda’s behavior over many years. Photograph: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile/Getty Images

Two years after receiving an 18-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting players under his care, a former Canada women’s national team coach is yet to appear on any public sanctions list published by Canada Soccer or BC Soccer, the regional governing body for soccer in British Columbia, where the crimes took place.

The revelation has prompted the executive director of the Canadian organization newly appointed to manage reports of abuse and misconduct to call for an international registry of offenders to track individuals who have been banned from sports for misconduct.

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