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Canada hit with SIX POINT deduction at Paris Olympics after drone spying scandal with coach Bev Priestman banned for a year by FIFA
Canada's women's football team has been deducted six points in the Paris Olympics football tournament after it was revealed that they were using drones to spy on their first group stage opponents, New Zealand.
In addition to the points deduction, the federation has been fined 200,000 Swiss francs for the infraction.
Beyond the tournament, head coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander, and unaccredited analyst Joseph Lombardi have all been suspended from taking part in any football-related activity for one year.
All these decisions were handed down by FIFA, the governing body for the Olympic football tournament.
'[Canada] 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 Olympic Football Tournament (OFT) with the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites,' read the official decision on FIFA's website.
Canada's women's soccer team has been deducted six points in women's Olympic football
Bev Priestman and two assistant coaches have been suspended from football for one year
'The officials were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play in connection with the [Canada's] Women's representative team's drones usage in the scope of the OFT.'
Canada Soccer has ten days to request a motivated decision, which would be published on FIFA's legal website.
Canada Soccer also has the option to appeal this decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In a statement released on Saturday afternoon, Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue said, 'Canada Soccer is disappointed with the impact of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's decision on our athletes.
'We are exploring options to appeal on the basis that it is excessively punitive towards our Women's National Team players – who were not involved in any unethical behaviour.
'Canada Soccer took swift action to suspend the implicated staff members and is also proceeding with a broad independent review that may lead to further disciplinary action. We appreciate the understanding and support for our players from our Canadian fans during this time.'
David Shoemaker, CEO and Secretary General of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said in a statement, 'We feel terrible for the athletes on the Canadian Women's Olympic Soccer Team who as far as we understand played no role in this matter. In support of the athletes, together with Canada Soccer, we are exploring rights of appeal related to the six point deduction at this Olympic tournament.'
Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue is addressing 'systemic' usage of drones to spy on teams
In a press conference on Friday, Blue said the federation is in the process of reviewing what appears to be a 'systemic ethical shortcoming' when it comes to the usage of drones to spy on opposing teams.
Blue said the federation is attempting to directly address the issue that he's declared 'unacceptable' and is conducting an independent review. He added that these allegations could go back several years 'far preceding' both current men's and women's national team head coaches.
Blue added that the players at the Paris Olympics were 'not involved in any unethical behavior' and that to his knowledge, they had not seen any drone footage from Lombardi.
For this reason, and because of the federation's swift action to suspend the coaches, Blue said at the time that a points deduction would be 'unfair' to the players.
The issue of using drones to spy on opposition is apparently so systemic that there has even been reports of usage by the men's team as well.
Canada women's coach Bev Priestman and two other coaches have been suspended from the Olympics after using a drone to spy on their opening group stage opponents, New Zealand
Blue admitted to reporters that there was an attempt at drone use by someone on the men's team during this summer's Copa America. Canada finished fourth in the tournament, their first entry into South America's continental cup competition.
Blue said that Canada men's head coach Jesse Marsch learned about the drone use 'after the fact' and that he 'immediately and forcefully denounced' it to his coaching staff.
The CEO added that the facts from the Copa America and the Olympics were 'significantly different' when it came to 'potential impact on competitive integrity'.
Andy Spence, who has taken over coaching duties at the Olympics from Priestman, has not been given an interim coaching title and no final decisions on coaching staff have been made. Blue believes that Spence was not aware of the issue of drone usage.
When asked by the CBC if Blue was considering withdrawing the team from the Olympic Games, the CEO replied, 'I've deeply considered and thought about the implications of this issue for the Canadian delegation. I've deeply considered and feel, frankly, very disappointed and frustrated about the distraction that it has created.
'But I have not considered withdrawal of the team, again, primarily because we feel like we have addressed the situation swiftly and significantly It would be to the detriment of our players who have worked so hard and sacrificed quite a bit to be Olympians and themselves have not engaged in unethical behavior.
Canada beat New Zealand 2-1 in their group stage opener on Thursday afternoon
'And I will not consider us withdrawing on the basis of the fact that we support our players as Olympians and their right to be here and their right to compete.'
Canada has already played its opening group stage match against New Zealand, a 2-1 victory over the Football Ferns.
New Zealand asked the International Olympic Committee prior to the match that no points be awarded to Canada as a result of the drone usage.
Canada's next match is against host nation France in Saint-Etienne on Sunday.