A significant scandal has rocked Canada’s women’s football team as FIFA has imposed severe sanctions following the revelation that a drone was used to spy on rival teams during the Olympics.
The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) has been deducted six points, and head coach Bev Priestman has been banned for one year. This comes with a hefty fine of £175,720 for the CSA.
The controversy erupted when the New Zealand Olympic Committee reported a drone flying over their training session earlier this week. Priestman voluntarily stepped down from her duties for Canada’s opening match against New Zealand, signaling a swift response to the allegations.
FIFA’s investigation concluded that both Priestman and CSA officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were complicit in violating the principles of fair play by utilizing the drone.
In a statement outlining the sanctions, FIFA emphasized that the actions of the Canadian team compromised the integrity of the competition. The CSA has acknowledged that Priestman was “highly likely” to have known about the drone incident, prompting FIFA’s disciplinary actions.
In response, CSA officials Kevin Blue and Canadian Olympic Committee chief David Shoemaker have indicated the possibility of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“We are exploring options to appeal on the basis that it is excessively punitive towards our Women’s National Team players,” Blue said, stressing that the athletes played no part in the unethical behavior. Shoemaker echoed this sentiment, expressing sympathy for the athletes who now face undue repercussions.
As part of the fallout from the scandal, Lombardi received an eight-month suspended jail sentence in a French court for flying the drone without a license.
The situation has raised concerns over the legitimacy of Canada’s previous achievements in women’s football, with reports suggesting that similar monitoring tactics might have been used in prior tournaments.
Assistant coach Andy Spence has stepped in to lead the team for the remainder of the Olympics, with their next match against France set for Sunday.
Despite starting the tournament with a victory against New Zealand, the team now finds itself at a disadvantage, sitting on minus three points in Group A with crucial matches ahead against the host nation and Colombia.
