Paris 2024: Canada loses points deduction appeal over drone spying scandal

Canada’s women’s team have lost their appeal against a six-point deduction at the Paris Olympics after a drone was used to spy on a rival team’s training session.

The Canadians were deducted six points while coach Bev Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were suspended from any football-related activity for one year after New Zealand lodged a complaint about drones flying over their training sessions.

While Canada accepted the bans for their backroom staff, they argued the points deduction was too severe.

But according to BBC Sport, the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the appeal on Wednesday.

It means Canada are on zero points heading into their final group match, having won their opening two games against France and New Zealand.

Victory against Colombia in their final group match would secure passage through to the quarter-finals.

English coach Priestman was removed as Olympic head coach on Saturday while FIFA fined Canada’s Soccer Association (CSA) £175,720 for the incident.

Assistant coach Andy Spence is managing the side in Priestman’s absence.

Canada are the reigning women’s Olympic football champion after defeating Sweden on penalty shootout to win gold at the 2020 games in Tokyo.