FIFA issued severe penalties to Canada Soccer on Saturday in response to a drone spying scandal, deducting six points from the Canadian women’s soccer team at the Paris Games and banning three coaches, including head coach Bev Priestman, for one year each.
In addition to the suspensions, Canada Soccer was fined C$313,000 after two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s practices before their opening game last Thursday, which Canada won 2-1.
Canada Soccer was held accountable for not ensuring compliance with tournament rules. Priestman, who led Canada to an Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, had already been suspended by the national federation and removed from the Olympic tournament. She is now banned from all soccer-related activities for one year.
The FIFA ruling came after the team concluded its late-afternoon training session at Stade Auguste Dury, ahead of Sunday’s game against host France.
“Obviously, what has transpired has been very unfortunate and difficult,” said acting head coach Andy Spence, who spoke about half an hour before the announcement. “For that, I think it’s an opportunity for us to say that it doesn’t align with what I believe in, what Canada Soccer believes in, and the values the team upholds. I had no involvement in it.”
Kevin Blue, the CEO and general secretary of Canada Soccer, expressed disappointment with the decision’s impact on the athletes, stating, “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 behavior.”
Blue noted that Canada Soccer took swift action to suspend the implicated staff members and is conducting an independent review that may result in further disciplinary measures.
David Shoemaker, CEO and secretary general of the Canadian Olympic Committee, echoed similar sentiments, expressing sympathy for the athletes who were uninvolved in the scandal and supporting Canada Soccer in exploring appeal options regarding the six-point deduction.
The suspended coaches and Canada Soccer can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris, which handles urgent cases during the Olympics. If upheld, the points deduction would not eliminate Canada from the tournament but would require the team to win all three games in Group A to advance.
Team analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were also suspended from participating in any soccer-related activities for one year. FIFA expedited its disciplinary process by requesting its appeals judges to handle the case.
FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants responsible for offensive behavior and violating the principles of fair play. Canada Soccer was deemed responsible for failing to ensure compliance with FIFA regulations, particularly the prohibition on flying drones over training sites.
Priestman, who took over as head coach on November 1, 2020, had signed a contract extension through the 2027 Women’s World Cup in January, following her previous rolling contract. Canada Soccer has initiated an independent external review in light of the incident.
