Canada’s women’s soccer team has had their appeal against a six-point penalty at the Paris Olympics dismissed after a drone was used to monitor a competing team’s training session.
The Canadian team was penalized with a six-point deduction, while coach Bev Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander received a one-year ban from all football-related activities following a complaint from New Zealand about the drones over their training practices.
Canada accepted the penalties for their coaching staff but contended that the points deduction was excessively harsh.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld this decision and rejected the appeal on Wednesday.
As a result, Canada will enter their final group match with zero points, despite having previously secured victories against France and New Zealand.
A win against Colombia in Canada’s last group game would guarantee a spot in the quarter-finals.
Coach Priestman was removed from her position as head coach for the Olympics on Saturday, while FIFA imposed a fine of £175,720 on Canada’s Soccer Association for the incident.
In her absence, assistant coach Andy Spence is currently leading the team.
