FIFA dismisses Canada soccer’s appeal to reduce 6-point penalty in wake of drone-spying scandal

FIFA has dismissed an appeal from the Canadian women’s soccer team to have a six-point penalty deducted in the wake of a drone-spying scandal that has clouded the group at the Paris Olympics.

FIFA docked the women’s team six points after a Canadian staffer was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand team practices before the start of competition at the Paris Games.

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canada Soccer on Monday appealed FIFA’s penalty to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Paris.

“The application filed by the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Soccer [the Applicants] regarding the six-point deduction imposed on the Canadian women’s soccer team for the football tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 has been dismissed,” read the tribunal’s decision.

“The Applicants sought a decision from the CAS Ad hoc Division either cancelling or reducing the points deduction imposed by the FIFA Appeal Committee in its decision of 27 July 2024, after it established that breaches of the FIFA regulations applicable to the Olympic football tournament concerning the prohibition on flying drones over training sites had occurred.”

Canada Soccer suspended head coach Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Paris Olympic Games due to the drone-spying scandal. Andy Spence has stepped in to coach the defending gold medallists for the remainder of the tournament.

Canada has won its first two games in the Olympic tournament and will face Colombia today.

“The COC and Canada Soccer thank the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Ad Hoc Committee for its expedited process in hearing this case,” the COC said in a statement.

“While disappointed in the outcome of our appeal, we commend the players for their incredible resilience and grit over the course of this tournament and look forward to cheering them on in today’s match against Colombia.”

In a statement, Canada Soccer said it maintains that the players should not be punished for actions that were not their own and that an independent external investigation has begun.

“Throughout this matter, Canada Soccer has sought to demonstrate accountability and communicate transparently, including to FIFA during their discipline process,” Canada Soccer said. “We are disappointed with today’s appeal decision.”

Canada Soccer did not appeal the one-year bans handed down to Priestman and two staff members.

Canada came from behind to earn a dramatic 2-1 win over France at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne on Sunday, helping it stave off elimination.

Wednesday’s match kicks off at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT at Stade de Nice in Nice. 

Canada is competing in Paris in its fifth Olympic tournament and is seeking to reach the medal podium for a fourth straight time after winning two bronzes (2012 and 2016) and a gold (2021). Canada is also looking to become the first nation to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals since the United States won three in a row from 2004 to 2012. 

With files from Sportsnet’s John Molinaro