2024 Epic Olympics: FIFA bans Canada coach after drone spying scandal, deducts six points from team

FIFA has deducted Canada six points from the Olympic women’s football tournament and their head coach Bev Priestman has been banned for a year following the drone spying scandal.

The world football governing body made this known in a statement released on Saturday.

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Canada Soccer announced that Priestman had been removed from her role for the remainder of the Olympics following claims a drone was used to spy on New Zealand training sessions.

Assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, were also sent home after a drone was believed to have recorded New Zealand training sessions on two separate occasions.

“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 statement from FIFA read.

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“The officials were each found responsible for offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play in connection with the CSA’s Women’s representative team’s drone 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.”

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.