The Canadian government has decided to suspend funding for the women's national team following its involvement in a spying incident during the Paris 2024 Olympics. This includes a six-point deduction and financial penalties. The FIFA (International Football Association) has imposed severe sanctions on the Canadian team and its coach, Bev Priestman, after it was confirmed that they spied on New Zealand's training sessions before the two teams faced each other at the Paris Olympics using a drone.
In a statement released on Sunday, coach Priestman said, "I am extremely saddened for the players, and I would like to sincerely apologize for the impact this situation has had on all of them." She added, "I understand how difficult this is for them, especially after a tough year in 2023, and as the team leader, I want to take full responsibility and am ready to cooperate fully during the investigations."
The Canadian Minister of Sports condemned the act of spying on New Zealand's training sessions and has decided to suspend funding for the officials involved in this incident for the duration of their punishment from FIFA.
