In a shocking turn of events, Canada’s women’s football team has been penalized six points in the Paris Olympics football tournament after it was discovered that they used drones to spy on their first group stage opponents, New Zealand.
To make matters worse, the team has also been fined 200,000 Swiss francs for the infraction.
The consequences didn’t stop there, as head coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander, and unaccredited analyst Joseph Lombardi have all been suspended from participating in any football-related activities for a year.
These decisions were handed down by FIFA, the governing body for the Olympic football tournament, citing a failure to respect applicable regulations and a violation of the principles of fair play.
According to FIFA’s official statement, “Canada was found responsible for failing to ensure the compliance of its participating officials with the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites.”
Canada’s women’s soccer team has been deducted six points in women’s Olympic football
Bev Priestman and two assistant coaches have been suspended from football for one year
Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that the team is exploring options to appeal on the basis that the punishment is excessively punitive towards the Women’s National Team players, who were not involved in any unethical behavior.
Blue also emphasized that the federation took swift action to suspend the implicated staff members and is proceeding with a broad independent review that may lead to further disciplinary action.
The CEO added that the players at the Paris Olympics were not involved in any unethical behavior and that to his knowledge, they had not seen any drone footage from Lombardi.
Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue is addressing ‘systemic’ usage of drones to spy on teams
In a press conference, Blue acknowledged that the federation is reviewing what appears to be a “systemic ethical shortcoming” when it comes to the usage of drones to spy on opposing teams.
Blue said that the federation is attempting to directly address the issue, conducting an independent review, and noted that these allegations could go back several years, “far preceding” both current men’s and women’s national team head coaches.
Canada women’s coach Bev Priestman and two other coaches have been suspended from the Olympics after using a drone to spy on their opening group stage opponents, New Zealand
The issue of using drones to spy on opposition appears to be more widespread, with reports of usage by the men’s team as well.
Canada has already played its opening group stage match against New Zealand, a 2-1 victory over the Football Ferns.
New Zealand asked the International Olympic Committee prior to the match that no points be awarded to Canada as a result of the drone usage.
Canada’s next match is against host nation France in Saint-Etienne on Sunday.