Coaches banned, Canada stripped of six points in drone spying scandal
Updated . First published
FIFA has deducted six points from Canada in the Paris women's Olympic football tournament and banned three coaches for one year each in a drone spying scandal.
The stunning swathe of punishments includes a 200,000 Swiss francs ($344,000) fine for the Canadian football federation in a case that has spiralled at Paris 2024.
Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on opponent New Zealand's practices before their opening game on Wednesday.
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Bev Priestman, head coach of Canada women's football team, has been banned for a year over a drone spying scandal. FIFA via Getty Images
Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national football federation then removed from the Olympic tournament.
She is now banned from all football for one year.
FIFA fast-tracked its own disciplinary process by asking its appeals judges to handle the case.
FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants "were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play".
Priestman and the Canadian federation now can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration's special Olympic court in Paris.
Canada players acknowledge fans after beating New Zealand 2-1 in a match marred by the spying scandal. Getty
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Priestman was hired in November 2020 to succeed Kenneth Heiner-Møller and had been working on a rolling contract.
She led Canada to a gold medal at Tokyo 2020, but was eliminated in the group stage of last year’s World Cup.
She coached the team to 28 wins, nine losses and 10 draws.
Priestman spent five years with the Canadian Soccer Association in a variety of coaching roles before returning in June 2018 to her native England, where she served as coach of the women’s under-18 team and assistant coach with the senior women’s team.
Before that she spent four and a half years as head of football development in New Zealand before leaving in June 2013.
