By Victor Kanayo
FIFA on Saturday announced that Canada’s Olympic women football team Coach Beverly Priestman has been suspended for a year.
Also, the world football governing body deducted six points from the Canadian team after they used a drone to spy on a rival team at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France.
A statement by FIFA said, “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.”
The ruling which is a big blow on Canada’s participation of the football event at the Olympics, also handed down a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000).
Canada had won football gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games three years ago.
They had beat New Zealand 2-1 in their opening game on Thursday.
However, the points deduction have left them with nothing ahead of their remaining two group marches in the competition.
Canada will still face hosts France on Sunday in Saint-Etienne.
If the Canadian team win, the three will still not count for them, with the chances of qualifying for the quarter-final chiselled down.
Also, Analyst Joey Lombardi was sent home after he incurred a suspension of eight-month prison sentence for flying the drone over a New Zealand training session ahead of the game.
Assistant coach Jasime Mander was also sent home.
That was after Priestman withdrew herself from the game against New Zealand, followed by an official suspension by the Canada Soccer federation.
