Canada’s Appeal Rejected: Six-Point Deduction and Fine Upheld in Olympic Football Scandal

Canada’s bid to overturn a six-point deduction and a 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) fine imposed by FIFA has been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The sanction was levied after a staff member used a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session ahead of a match between the two teams, which Canada won 2-1.

The appeal, heard by the Swiss-based CAS, aimed to challenge the punishment given by FIFA, which has left Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, at significant risk of an early exit from the Paris Games. Despite winning both of their initial matches against New Zealand and France, the deduction has left Canada with zero points in their group with just one game remaining.

To advance to the quarter-finals and have a chance to defend their gold medal from the Tokyo 2020 Games, Canada must secure a victory against Colombia in their final group match later on Wednesday.

The scandal began when Canada’s team used an unauthorized drone to monitor New Zealand’s training session. FIFA’s response included not only the six-point deduction and monetary fine but also disciplinary actions against key team members. Coach Bev Priestman received a one-year ban from all football-related activities for her involvement in the scandal. Assistant coach Andy Spence, who stepped in as interim coach, and analyst Joey Lombardi, who was caught operating the drone, also faced sanctions. Lombardi was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence and sent home, while both he and assistant coach Jasime Mander received one-year bans from FIFA.

Priestman publicly apologized for the incident, expressing her “absolute heartbreak” and pledging full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Despite these efforts, the upholding of FIFA’s penalty poses a severe challenge for Canada as they strive to advance in the tournament.