SAINT-ETIENNE, France – The Canadian Olympic Committee said it was “exploring rights of appeal” on Saturday after a FIFA ruling docked six points from the Canadian women’s soccer team due to a drone spying scandal at the Paris Games.
The sport’s governing body also said Canada Soccer would be fined C$313,000 and three coaches, including head coach Bev Priestman, would be banned for one year each.
Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s practices before the teams played their opening game last Thursday, a 2-1 Canada win.
Canada Soccer was held responsible for not ensuring its staff complied with tournament rules.
“We feel terrible for the athletes on the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team who as far as we understand played no role in this matter,” said COC chief executive officer David Shoemaker. “In support of the athletes, together with Canada Soccer, we are exploring rights of appeal related to the six-point deduction at this Olympic tournament.”
Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national federation and removed from the Olympic tournament.
“Canada Soccer is disappointed with the impact of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision on our athletes,” said Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue. “We are exploring options to appeal on the basis that it is excessively punitive towards our women’s national team – who were not involved in any unethical behaviour.”
The FIFA decision came down after the Canadian team wrapped its late-afternoon training session at Stade Auguste Dury ahead of Sunday’s game against host France.
As the session ended, acting head coach Andy Spence spoke to the challenges the team has faced over the last week.
“Obviously what has transpired has been very unfortunate and difficult,” he said. “For that, I think it’s an opportunity for us to say that that doesn’t align personally with what I believe in, with what Canada Soccer believes in, the values that we believe in and the team believes in, and I had no party to it.
“I think now all of my energy and all of my focus has to be on pushing the team and helping the team move forward.”
The coaches and Canada Soccer can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris. That tribunal is set up for urgent hearings and verdicts at the Olympics.
The points deduction, if upheld by 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.
FIFA fast-tracked its own disciplinary process by asking its appeals judges to handle the case. FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants “were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play.”
Like Priestman, team analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were suspended from taking part in any soccer-related activity for one year.
Canada Soccer was found responsible for failing to respect the applicable FIFA regulations, the statement said, in connection with its failure to ensure the compliance of its participating officials of the (tournament) with the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites.
Canada is scheduled to play its final group game on Wednesday against Colombia in Nice.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2024.
With files from The Associated Press.
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