Olympic football team hit with huge point deduction as coach banned by FIFA

The Canadian women’s football team have been hit with a point deduction at the Olympics after the drone scandal.

Earlier in the week, it was reported that a member of the Canadian support staff was arrested by French police after being accused of spying by New Zealand.

They claim a drone was used to infiltrate a training session at their base in St Etienne ahead of the match against Canada at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

In a statement, (via The Sun) they said: "The NZOC and New Zealand Football are committed to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games and are deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident, which occurred just three days before the sides are due to face each other in their opening game of Paris 2024.

"At this time the NZOC's main priority is to support the New Zealand women's football athletes and wider team as they start their campaign."

On Saturday evening, it was announced that Canada have been hit with a six-point deduction and manager Bev Priestman has been banned for one year.

A statement from FIFA said: “CSA was found responsible for failing to respect the applicable FIFA regulations in connection with its failure to ensure the compliance of its participating officials of the OFT with the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites.

“The officials were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play in connection with the CSA’s Women’s representative team’s drones usage in the scope of the OFT.”

Getty

It continued: “CSA and its officials have been notified of the terms of the FIFA Appeal Committee’s decision today. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com.

“The decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”