Paris Olympics 2024: Canada football drone scandal – government pulls Bev Priestman funding

Canada’s government will withhold funding for the women’s football officials who were banned by Fifa after the drone spying scandal at the Paris Olympics.

The defending women’s Olympic champions have been deducted six points and head coach Bev Priestman received a one-year ban from world governing body Fifa.

Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander have also been suspended from all football activities for a year.

Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s sports minister, said the move to send a drone to monitor New Zealand’s training session was “cheating”.

She described the issue as “deeply regrettable” and said it was causing “significant distraction and embarrassment for Team Canada and all Canadians”.

“It is completely unfair to Canadian players and to opposing teams. It undermines the integrity of the game itself,” Qualtrough added.

“Given that the women’s programme receives funding from Sport Canada, we are withholding funding relating to suspended Canada Soccer officials for the duration of their Fifa sanction.”

Sport Canada is the government-led national body that helps to fund elite level national organisations.