The Canadian women’s soccer team had six points deducted from their Olympic group and coach Bev Priestman banned for a year after using a drone to spy on an opposing team’s training sessions.
FIFA announced the sanctions – including a £175,720 fine for the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) – a day after English-born Priestman was sacked as Canada’s Olympic head coach.
CSA officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were also suspended by FIFA for one year.
FIFA, the football association, said the Canadian team’s use of the drone was a “violation” of its principles.
“The officials were each held responsible for offensive conduct and breaches of the principles of fair play in connection with the use of drones by the CSA women’s team during the Olympic football tournament,” FIFA said in a statement.
Priestman “voluntarily” withdrew from her coaching duties for Canada’s opening game against the Kiwis after the New Zealand Olympic Committee reported that a drone flew over the team’s training session on Monday.
FIFA and the CSA launched investigations and the latter said it was “highly likely” that the 38-year-old knew about the incident.
The CSA can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Both its executive director Kevin Blue and the executive director of the Canadian Olympic Committee David Shoemaker said in a statement on the sanctions that an appeal was being considered.
“We are exploring the possibility of appealing as this is excessive punishment for our women’s national team players who have not engaged in any unethical conduct,” Blue said.
“Canada Soccer has taken immediate action and suspended the employees involved. It is also conducting a comprehensive independent investigation, which may result in further disciplinary action.”
Shoemaker added: “We feel terrible for the athletes of the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team who, to our knowledge, played no role in this matter.”
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