Drone-spying scandal costs Canadian women harsh penalty

PARIS — FIFA docked six points from Canada in the Paris Olympics women’s soccer tournament and banned three coaches for one year each on Saturday in a drone-spying scandal.

The stunning swath of punishments include a 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) fine for the Canadian soccer federation in a case that has spiraled at the Summer Games. Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on opponent New Zealand’s practices before their opening game last Wednesday.

Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced late Saturday that they were looking into an appeal, specifically of the deducted points.

“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,” David Shoemaker, the Olympic committee’s CEO and secretary general, said in a statement. “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.”

Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national soccer federation then removed from the Olympic tournament. Canadian officials suspect the spying has been systemic over years.

Priestman and assistants Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander are now banned from all soccer for one year.

FIFA judges said Priestman and her two assistants “were each found responsible for offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play.”

The case is likely now heading for the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris.