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

"Bob Birarda, a former Vancouver Whitecaps women's team and Canada under-20 women's coach, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault and one charge of forcible touching in 2022. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail in November that year. Following Birarda's sentencing in November 2022, Vancouver Whitecaps current CEO Axel Schuster pledged that the club's response to allegations would reach a higher standard today than when Birarda committed his crimes (Schuster was not yet employed by the Whitecaps at the time)."

"Canada Soccer can confirm that Mr Birarda has received a lifetime suspension from coaching registration with no opportunity for re-training, recertification, or re-evaluation of coaching licence in Canada, Paulo Senra, a spokesperson for Canada Soccer, wrote in an email to the Guardian. Coaching licenses in North America are mostly used to indicate a level of coaching education and are generally not"

"Following Birarda's sentencing in November 2022, Vancouver Whitecaps current CEO Axel Schuster pledged that the club's response to allegations would reach a higher standard today than when Birarda committed his crimes (Schuster was not yet employed by the Whitecaps at the time). We acknowledge and understand the deep hurt felt across our soccer community, Schuster said in a statement. We are truly sorry to everyone who has been impacted."

Bob Birarda pleaded guilty in 2022 to three charges of sexual assault and one charge of forcible touching involving players under his care and was sentenced to 18 months in jail in November 2022. Canada Soccer confirmed a lifetime suspension from coaching registration with no opportunity for re-training, recertification, or re-evaluation of coaching licence in Canada. Birarda does not appear on public sanctions lists published by Canada Soccer or BC Soccer. Vancouver Whitecaps leadership apologized and pledged higher standards. The revelation prompted calls for an international registry of individuals banned from sports for misconduct to track sanctioned offenders.

Read at www.theguardian.com