Canadian women’s football team docked six points, coach banned over drone scandal – SUCH TV
Canada’s Olympic women’s football team have been deducted six points, and their coach, Beverly Priestman, suspended for a year after using a drone to spy on a rival team at the Paris Games, FIFA announced on Saturday.
Canada’s football association “was found responsible for failing to respect the applicable FIFA regulations in connection with… the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites,” FIFA said.
The deduction leaves them on minus three points in Group A before they play hosts France on Sunday in Saint-Etienne.
Although they beat New Zealand 2-1 in their opening game on Thursday, the points deduction means they now face the challenge of winning their next two matches to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
Analyst Joey Lombardi was sent home after receiving a suspended eight-month prison sentence for flying the drone over a New Zealand training session ahead of the game.
Assistant Jasime Mander was also sent home, while Priestman withdrew herself from the game against New Zealand.
Canada Soccer announced on Friday that English coach Priestman had been suspended with immediate effect.
