In a surprising move, the Canadian women's national team has been hit with a heavy sanction by FIFA for violating fair play principles at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The world football governing body decided to impose harsh measures after it was discovered that the Canadian team had used drones to spy on their rivals during the tournament.

FIFA sanctions Canadian national team at Olympics

FIFA's investigation found that the Canadian team's technical staff used unauthorized devices to obtain strategic information from its competitors, seriously violating the rules established to ensure fair competition.

As a result, FIFA decided to apply an automatic six-point deduction to Canada's standings in Group A, placing them in last place with a balance of -3 points. In addition, the team was fined 200,000 Swiss francs, equivalent to approximately 913 million Colombian pesos.

Drastic consequences for Canadian national team coaching staff at Olympic Games

On the coaching staff side, the punishment was also drastic. Coach Beverly Priestman, as well as assistants Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were suspended for one year from all football-related activities. This measure prohibits the three staff members from participating in any role within the sport for the next year, seriously affecting the Canadian team's preparation for the tournament.

The chairman of the FIFA Appeals Committee explained: “After carefully assessing the evidence, we have decided to impose these sanctions for violations of Articles 13 and 6.1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which deal with offensive conduct and breaches of the principles of fair play.”

The situation has had a direct impact on the group standings. The Colombian national team, currently in second place with 0 points and a goal difference of -1, is in a critical position. To maintain their aspirations to advance to the next round, the “tricolors” must beat New Zealand in their next match. On the last day, the “coffee makers” will face Canada, a match that will now have an even more interesting tone due to the new circumstances.

The impact of these sanctions on group dynamics and the future of the competition will be essential in defining the next stages of the Olympic tournament.