FIFA has penalized Canada by deducting six points and imposing a one-year ban on three coaches following a drone spying scandal

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has recently faced significant turmoil following the alleged drone spying scandal involving women’s football manager Bev Priestman. In light of the controversy, the COC made the decision to remove Priestman from her role, subsequently appointing assistant coach Andy Spence to lead the defending gold medallists for the remainder of the Olympic football tournament.

The repercussions of this scandal have reverberated through the Olympic women’s football tournament, with FIFA announcing that Canada has been deducted six points and Bev Priestman has been banned for a year as a result of the drone spying incident. This decisive action from FIFA underscores the gravity of the situation, serving as a cautionary tale for fair play and ethical conduct in international sporting events.

In a statement, FIFA said: “CSA was found responsible for failing to respect the applicable FIFA regulations in connection with its failure to ensure the compliance of its participating officials of the OFT with the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites.

“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 OFT.

“CSA and its officials have been notified of the terms of the FIFA Appeal Committee’s decision today.

“In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com.

“The decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

Furthermore, the involvement of assistant coach Jasmine Mander and unaccredited analyst Joseph Lombardi in this scandal has prompted Canada Soccer to take strong measures, resulting in their removal from the team. The use of a drone to record New Zealand’s training sessions has not only tarnished Canada’s reputation but also led to severe consequences, including a one-year suspension from all football-related activities for the implicated individuals.

As the details of this saga continue to unfold, it is evident that the impact extends beyond the immediate sporting context. The significant fine imposed on Canada, amounting to 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000), underscores the severity of the breach of regulations and the importance of upholding the integrity of Olympic competition.

In response to these developments, Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) CEO David Shoemaker acknowledged that the organization has been confronted with information that could potentially mar Canada’s performance in Tokyo. “It makes me ill, it makes me sick to my stomach to think that there could be something that calls it into question,” he added.

This acknowledgment reinforces the need for transparency, accountability, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship at all levels of competition.