Team Canada officially penalized at Olympics due to drone scandal

According to reports, FIFA has deducted six points from Canada in the Paris Olympics women's soccer tournament and banned three coaches for one year each on Saturday due to a drone spying scandal.

The punishments also include a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) for the Canadian soccer federation. The case escalated when two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand's practices before their opening game last Wednesday.

Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, was already suspended by the national soccer federation and removed from the Olympic tournament. She is now banned from all soccer for one year.

FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants responsible for "offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play."

Priestman and the Canadian federation can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration's special Olympic court in Paris.

Soccer experts question the strategic value of the drone spying, while Canadian players Sinclair and Labbé deny viewing any drone footage as the scandal threatens to tarnish Canada Soccer.

Credit: CTV News
FIFA deducts 6 points from Canada in Olympic women's soccer standings, bans 3 coaches for 1 year in drone-spying scandal