Canada’s women’s football team caught the eye of the authorities for spying on their rivals through a drone during the Olympics and has since been penalized heavily. FIFA penalties include a six-point penalty, head coach Bev Priestman’s suspension for one year, and a significant CSA fine.
It began when New Zealand reported the drone incident, as a result of which investigations were conducted and suspensions were made immediately. However, Canada seems to be in a very bad position in the tournament after having won that match. CSA is still planning to appeal the penalties stating that the players are being punished for the unethical deeds that they did not participate in.
Will the appeal change the course of the tournament for Canada?
Canada’s Women’s Team Penalized for Drone Spying
Canadian women’s football team was severely punished for using a drone to spy rival team’s practice session during the Olympics. The sanctions that FIFA has imposed are a six-point deduction from their group stage and a one-year ban on head coach Bev Priestman. Also, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) was fined £175,720.
The occurrence resulted in the banning of CSA officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander for one year. FIFA said that the utilization of the drone was a ‘breach’ of the principles of fair play.
Priestman resigned from her coaching position before Canada’s initial match against New Zealand after the New Zealand Olympic Committee filed a report about the drone. FIFA’s investigation as well as CSA’s investigation concluded that Priestman was ‘highly likely’ to have been aware of the incident.
CSA Considering Appeal Against FIFA Sanctions After Drone Incident
CSA chief executive Kevin Blue and Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive David Shoemaker are considering appealing the decision stating that the players who had no part to play in the unethical act are being punished. Blue further pointed out that Canada Soccer immediately reacted by removing the staffers and launching an investigation.
In her statement, Priestman agreed with her colleagues’ actions as if they were her own. A French court convicted Joseph Lombardi who had forwarded a scouting report to Jasmine Mander to an eight-month suspended jail term for flying a drone without a license in an urban area.
Andy Spence, the assistant coach, will take charge of the team till the end of the Games. Canada was stripped of three points because of the sanctions and now has minus three in Group A after defeating New Zealand in the opener. They have the prospect of the next matches with the host nation and Colombia ahead of them.
CSA Plans Appeal to Defend Integrity After Drone Scandal
Shoemaker apologized to the athletes as he thought that the latter had no part to play in the matter. Other papers also indicated that drones could have been employed in past championships, thus casting a shadow on Canada’s women’s football gold in the Tokyo Games. The CSA is currently looking into a way to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to defend their team’s integrity and the effects on the players.
The CSA is considering an appeal, arguing that the players, who were not involved, are unfairly affected. Meanwhile, assistant coach Andy Spence will lead the team, which now sits at minus three points in Group A, as they prepare for matches against the host nation and Colombia. The upcoming days will unfold the further decision.
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