Canada’s Olympic women’s football team has been dealt a significant blow following a decision by FIFA, which announced on Saturday that the team has been deducted six vital points from their standings. Additionally, their head coach, Beverly Priestman, has been suspended for a full year after it was discovered that the team used a drone to illegally spy on a rival team during preparations for the upcoming Paris Games. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the Canadian football community and raises serious questions about the integrity of the sporting event.
According to FIFA, Canada’s football association was found to be responsible for not adhering to the relevant FIFA regulations, particularly the rules prohibiting the use of drones over any training venues. This investigation into their activities has uncovered a clear violation of established guidelines aimed at ensuring fair competition among teams. In light of these infractions, FIFA has also imposed a hefty fine amounting to 200,000 Swiss francs, which is approximately $226,000, further adding to the repercussions faced by the association.
The ruling from FIFA is particularly damaging to Canada’s ambitions as they attempt to defend their Olympic title, which they successfully won during the Tokyo Games just three years ago. Now, with the point deduction, the team’s standing has been drastically altered, and they currently find themselves at minus three points in Group A. They are set to face the home nation, France, in a crucial match on Sunday in Saint-Etienne, and the situation has become dire for the team’s chances of progressing.
In their opening match on Thursday, they had managed to secure a 2-1 victory against New Zealand, instilling hope for their campaign. However, the subsequent deduction of points means that they will now be required to win both of their next matches in order to have any realistic opportunity to advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
In a related incident, analyst Joey Lombardi has been sent back home following a ruling where he received a suspended eight-month prison sentence due to his involvement in flying the drone over a New Zealand training session prior to the match. Furthermore, assistant coach Jasime Mander was also dismissed from the team and sent home, while Coach Priestman chose to withdraw from the game against New Zealand to take responsibility for the situation. In light of these events, Canada Soccer announced on Friday that Coach Priestman is suspended immediately and will not be allowed to fulfill her coaching duties during this crucial period. The implications of these decisions will undoubtedly linger as the team struggles to maintain its competitive edge in the Olympic tournament under these challenging circumstances.
