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The Canadian women’s football team has been deducted of six points in Group A of the Paris Olympics 2024 over a spying scandal before the start of the tournament. After the Canadians flew a drone to spy on New Zealand’s preparation, Bev Priestman, the women’s team head coach, who was ousted from her role during the Paris 2024, also received a one-year suspension from FIFA.
Following the revelation of the spying scandal, Jasmine Mander, the assistant coach of Canadian women’s football team, and Joseph Lombardi, the “unaccredited analyst” were sent home on eight-month suspended prison. These two officials of the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) were also suspended by FIFA alongside Bev Priestman, who got fired from the job after her team’s 2-1 win over New Zealand in their Paris 2024 Group A opener.
Apart from the suspensions, FIFA also fined CSA $226,000 while talking about how the usage of the drone was in “violation” of their principles.
The statement from FIFA about the spying scandal read, “The officials were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play in connection with the CSA's Women’s representative team's drones usage in the scope of the Olympic football tournament.”
Meanwhile, the CSA can appeal the decision of FIFA before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It could be the case since the CSA Chief Executive, Kevin Blue, and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) Chief Executive, David Shoemaker spoke about how the appeal is under consideration in response to the FIFA sanctions.
