Canada Appeals to CAS Over Olympic Football Points Deduction

Canada has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding a six-point deduction imposed by FIFA over a spying incident. The Swiss-based CAS confirmed that Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee lodged the appeal against the punishment, which was handed down over the weekend.

Spying Scandal and Punishments

FIFA docked Canada six points and fined them 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) after an analyst, Joey Lombardi, was caught using a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session. Lombardi received an eight-month suspended prison sentence and was sent home. Additionally, head coach Bev Priestman and assistant coach Jasime Mander were banned from all football-related activities for one year.

CAS Appeal and Hearing

The appeal to CAS, sport’s highest court, focuses solely on the points deduction, not the bans. CAS indicated that a hearing is likely to occur on Tuesday, with a verdict expected by Wednesday.

Impact on Canada’s Olympic Campaign

Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, had won both of their matches at the Paris Games against New Zealand and France. However, due to the points deduction, they currently have zero points with one Group A game remaining. To advance to the quarter-finals and continue their title defense, Canada must win their upcoming match against Colombia.

Team Reactions

Coach Bev Priestman issued an apology, expressing heartbreak over the incident. Captain Jessie Fleming criticized the points deduction as unfair, emphasizing that the players had no control over the situation. She noted that the incident has brought the team closer together, fostering a “us against the world” mentality.