Canada appeal over points deduction in drone scandal dismissed by CAS
Defending champions Canada were docked six points, while coach Bev Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were banned from any soccer-related activity for one year by FIFA after New Zealand complained that Canadian staff flew drones over their training sessions before their opening match.
"The application filed by the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Soccer in relation to the six-point deduction imposed on the Canadian women’s soccer team for the football tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 has been dismissed," CAS said, with the reasoned decision to be published at a later date.
"The Applicants sought a decision from the CAS Ad hoc Division either cancelling or reducing the points deduction imposed by the FIFA Appeal Committee in its decision of July 27th 2024 after it established that breaches of the FIFA regulations applicable to the Olympic football tournament concerning the prohibition on flying drones over training sites had occurred."
Canada Soccer said it was disappointed with the decision, and continues "to believe that our players should not have been unnecessarily punished for actions that were not their own."
The national federation added that an independent external review had begun that would initially focus on the incident at the Olympics before looking at other issues, amid media reports that drone use may have predated the Paris Games.
A joint statement from Canada Soccer president Peter Augruso and CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue said that Sonia Regenbogen would lead the review, describing her as a "leading Canadian expert in conducting independent workplace investigations".
On Monday, Sport Canada said it was withholding funding allocated for the salaries of Priestman and the two other suspended team officials, calling the drone scandal that has rocked the Paris Olympic soccer tournament an embarrassment to all Canadians.
Canada won their first two games but are third in Group A with no points, following the deduction, behind table-topping Colombia and second-placed France, who both have three points.
Canada play Colombia later on Wednesday knowing a victory will take them into the quarter-finals, while France face bottom side New Zealand, who must win to have a chance of progress.