The Canadian team used a drone to spy on their opponents' closed training session.
The International Football Federation (FIFA) has punished the Canadian women's team for spying with a drone at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
About This was reported on the official FIFA website.
A drone operated by an employee of the Canadian National Football Federation was discovered during a closed training session of the New Zealand women's national team a few days before their opening match at the 2024 Olympics against Canada.
For violating the principles of fair play, drone flights are prohibited over any training grounds, and the Canadian team was deducted 6 points in the Olympic football tournament.
Head coach of the Canadian women's team Bev Priestman, her assistant Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi have been suspended from all football activity for one year.
In addition, the Canadian Football Association received a fine of 200 thousand Swiss francs.
In the first round of the 2024 Olympics, the Canadian women's team beat New Zealand (2:1) and with three points was in second place in Group A, but after the sanctions were imposed, it dropped to the last, fourth place.
Now the current Olympic champions have -3 points, but still have a chance to reach the playoffs. To do this, they need to beat France and Colombia in other matches of the group round.
The two best teams in each group, as well as two of the three third-place winners, will advance to the quarterfinals.
