(Al Jazeera Media Network) FIFA deducted six points from Canada in the Paris Olympics women’s football tournament and banned three coaches for one year each in a drone spying scandal.
The stunning swath of punishments, announced late on Saturday, includes a 200,000-Swiss-franc ($226,000) fine for the Canadian football federation in a case that has spiralled at the Summer Games.
Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on opponent New Zealand’s practices before their opening game on Wednesday.
Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national football federation and then removed from the Olympic tournament. She is now banned from all football by FIFA for one year.
FIFA fast-tracked its own disciplinary process by asking its appeals judges to handle the case.
The judges found Priestman and her two assistants “were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play.”
The Canadian federation was held responsible for not ensuring its staff complied with tournament rules. The coaches and the Canadian federation can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) special Olympic court in Paris. That tribunal is set up for urgent hearings and verdicts at the Olympics.
The 38-year-old Priestman is from England and was hired in 2020 to coach Canada. She is under contract through the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Priestman had stepped aside from the defending champions’ Olympic opener against New Zealand on Wednesday after the scandal was revealed. Canadian officials suspect the spying has been systemic over the years.
Her two staffers were sent home for allegedly using a drone to spy on New Zealand in training. Canada won the game 2-1 with interim coach Andy Spence in charge.
The points deduction, if upheld by the CAS judges, does not eliminate Canada from the tournament. It could mean the team must win all three games in Group A and hope to advance with three points, likely as runner-up in the standings.
Canada plays group leader France on Sunday in Saint-Etienne, then Colombia on Thursday in Nice.
