July 27, (THEWILL) – Canada has received severe penalties from FIFA following a drone spying incident at the Olympic Games. The Canadian women’s football team has been deducted six points in the Olympic tournament, while head coach Bev Priestman and two other officials have been banned from football-related activities for one year.
This punishment comes after Canadian staff were accused of flying drones over New Zealand’s training sessions before their opening match. The incident occurred prior to Canada’s 2-1 victory over New Zealand in their first Olympic fixture. FIFA stated that Priestman, along with Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander, were found guilty of “offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play”.
The scandal has cast a shadow over Canada’s gold medal defence at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In response to the allegations, Canada Soccer suspended Priestman and the involved officials, sending them home from the Games. Former Canadian national team players, Christine Sinclair and Stephanie Labbe have spoken out, stating that players had never been shown drone footage during their time with the team.
However, this has not mitigated the severity of FIFA’s punishment. The Canadian team now faces an uphill battle in the tournament. With upcoming matches against France and Colombia, they must overcome the six-point deduction to qualify for the quarter-finals. The top two teams in each group, along with the two best third-ranked teams, will progress to the knockout stage.
This scandal has raised questions about fair play and ethical conduct in international football. It remains to be seen how Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee will address these issues moving forward, and what long-term impact this incident might have on the women’s national team programme.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
