Canada appeals FIFA’s six-point Olympic women’s soccer deduction

PARIS – The Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Soccer are appealing FIFA’s six-point penalty to the national women’s soccer team in the wake of a spying scandal at the Paris Games.

FIFA docked the points on Saturday as part of a punishment that included a fine for Canada Soccer and the suspension of three coaching staff members for one year.

A team analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand’s practices before the start of competition.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris confirmed today that it had received the appeal, officially kicking off the process.

A hearing will likely be held Tuesday and a ruling is expected Wednesday, before Canada’s final group stage game against Colombia in Nice.

Canada opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over New Zealand before pulling out a stunning 2-1 victory over France after scoring late in injury time. The win over the host side ensured the defending champion Canadians still have a chance of reaching the knockout stage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2024.