Canada’s Women’s Soccer Team Has Been Deducted 6 Points Over Drone Spying at 2024 Olympics

Canada Women’s National Soccer Team received penalty 6 points in group A on 2024 Olympics in Paris for spying with a drone.

FIFA conducted a disciplinary investigation into the Canadian coaching staff and referred the matter to the Appeals Committee. The head of the committee found the Canadian team guilty of violating Article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (Offensive conduct and violations of the principles of fair play).

In addition to the six-point fine, the Canadian Soccer Association will pay 200,000 Swiss francs. Head coach of the Canadian women’s team Beverly Priestman, as well as members of her staff Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mender, have been suspended from all soccer activities for one year.

Earlier, during a training session of the New Zealand women’s national team, an unknown drone was discovered tracking the football players. Police found that the surveillance was carried out by a freelance employee of the Canadian national football team, Joseph Lombardi, and his assistant, Jasmine Mender.

The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed both employees from the official delegation list for the 2024 Olympics. Following the incident, Priestman announced that she would not attend the Canada-New Zealand match on her own initiative.

The Canadian women’s team is the Olympic champion of the recent Games in Tokyo 2020. Assistant Andy Spence will lead the team until the end of the tournament.

After the penalty, Canada is in last place in Group A and is in danger of not making it out of the quartet with -3 points. In the first round, the Canadians beat New Zealand (2:1). In the next match, Spence’s team will face the French team on July 28.