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Canada’s women’s football team has been docked six points in their Olympic group and fined £175,720 after a drone was used to spy on a rival team’s training sessions. The incident also resulted in a one-year ban for head coach Bev Priestman.
FIFA announced the sanctions a day after English-born Priestman was removed as Canada’s Olympic head coach. The penalties also extend to Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander, who have been suspended for a year.
FIFA stated that the use of the drone was in “violation” of its principles. “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,” read a statement from football’s governing body.
Priestman “voluntarily” withdrew from her coaching duties for Canada’s opening game against New Zealand after the New Zealand Olympic Committee reported a drone was flown over their training session on Monday. Both FIFA and the CSA launched investigations, with the CSA noting that Priestman was “highly likely” to have been aware of the incident.
CSA’s chief executive Kevin Blue and Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive David Shoemaker have indicated that an appeal against the decision is being considered. Blue stated, “We are exploring options to appeal on the basis that it is excessively punitive towards our Women’s National Team players – who were not involved in any unethical behaviour.”
Priestman acknowledged responsibility for her colleagues’ actions after a scouting report filed by Lombardi was sent to Mander. A French court sentenced Lombardi to an eight-month suspended jail term for flying a drone in an urban area without a licence.
Canadian media reports suggest that drones may have been used at previous tournaments, potentially tarnishing Canada’s women’s football triumph from the Tokyo Games. Assistant coach Andy Spence will lead the team for the remainder of the Olympics, with the defending champions’ next game against France on Sunday. The sanctions leave Canada with minus three points in Group A after an opening win against New Zealand, with games against the host nation and Colombia still to come.
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