Canada's Olympic women's football team has had six points deducted and their coach, Beverly Priestman, suspended for a year due to the use of a drone to spy on a rival team during the Paris Games, according to Fifa's announcement on Saturday.
The Canadian football association was held accountable for violating Fifa regulations concerning the ban on drones flying over training sites. Fifa also imposed a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000).
This decision severely impacts Canada's chances of retaining their Olympic title won at the Tokyo Games three years ago, leaving them with minus three points in Group A ahead of their match against host France on Sunday in Saint-Etienne. Despite their 2-1 victory over New Zealand in the opening game on Thursday, the point deduction necessitates winning their next two matches to have any hope of advancing to the quarter-finals.
Analyst Joey Lombardi was sent home after receiving a suspended eight-month prison sentence for operating the drone over a New Zealand training session prior to the game. Assistant Jasime Mander was also sent home, and Priestman withdrew from the game against New Zealand. Canada Soccer announced on Friday that English coach Priestman had been suspended immediately.
