The Canadian women’s soccer team faced a setback as FIFA announced a deduction of six points from the standings in the Paris Olympics. This decision came after it was revealed that team staffers used drones to spy on New Zealand during closed-door training sessions.
Following an investigation, the FIFA Appeal Committee found the Canadian Soccer Association accountable for the actions of its staff members, who violated Olympic rules. As a consequence, head coach Bev Priestman and two staffers have been banned from participating in any football-related activities for one year. Additionally, Canada Soccer has been fined $226,000.
Canada Soccer has the option to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If the points deduction is upheld by the CAS judges, it will not eliminate Canada from the tournament. However, the team may need to win all three games in Group A to advance with three points, likely securing a runner-up position in the standings.
Canada's upcoming match is against France on Sunday, where they will aim to overcome this setback and focus on their performance on the field.
