Canada appeals six-point ban for use of drones in Olympic football

|| AP Agency

**The respective Canadian bodies have formally submitted the request to the Court of Arbitration for Sport**

Canada has appealed a six-point deduction from FIFA over the drone scandal in the women’s soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics and is awaiting a verdict hours before its team plays its final group game tomorrow.

FIFA on Saturday punished defending Olympic champion Canada, suspending coach Bev Priestman and two of her assistants for a year over allegations they used a drone to spy on rival New Zealand’s practices.

The long-awaited appeal by the Canadian Soccer Federation and the Canadian Olympic Committee was formally registered yesterday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in a case that will be fast-tracked.

CAS said it intends to hold an appeal hearing today, with its three-judge panel due to deliver a verdict at midday tomorrow. Coach sanctions are not part of the case.

Canada will play Colombia in Nice tomorrow afternoon and needs to know where it stands before the match starts.

A day earlier, Priestman apologized to his players and promised to cooperate with the investigation into the drone scandal.

The coach was suspended for a year after two of her assistants were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s training ahead of their debut on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Canada kept its hopes of advancing afloat despite the ban by beating France 2-1 on Sunday, thanks to a goal from Vanessa Gille in the 12th minute of added time in Saint-Étienne. But the reigning Olympic champions remain without a point and must beat Colombia in their final Group A match to advance.

The Canadians celebrated effusively after the victory, obviously a relief after a turbulent week at the Games.

Another complaint also emerged against the women’s team for recording an opponent’s training session during the 2022 Concacaf W Championship, which was a qualifier for last summer’s Women’s World Cup.

It all comes in the aftermath of the scandal over alleged spying using unmanned drones at the Games.

HEAVY FINE (BOX)

In addition to suspending Bev Priestman, who had already been sent home from France, FIFA imposed a hefty fine of $226,000 on the Canadian federation.