In a shocking turn of events at the Paris Olympics, FIFA has taken decisive action against the Canadian women's football team following a drone spying scandal. Late on Saturday, FIFA announced that Canada would be deducted six points in the tournament and three coaches would be banned for one year each.

The penalties imposed on Canada also include a hefty fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) for the Canadian football federation. The scandal, which has sparked widespread controversy, unfolded when two assistant coaches from the Canadian team were caught using drones to spy on their opponents, New Zealand, during practices before their opening game on Wednesday.

Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo last year, had already been suspended by the national football federation and subsequently removed from the Olympic tournament. Now, FIFA has banned her from all football activities for one year. The governing body's appeals judges were fast-tracked to handle the case and found Priestman and her two assistants guilty of offensive behavior and violation of fair play principles.

FIFA also held the Canadian federation responsible for failing to ensure that their staff complied with tournament rules. Both the coaches and the federation have the option to challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) special Olympic court in Paris, which is designed to handle urgent hearings and verdicts during the Games.

Bev Priestman, a 38-year-old coach from England, was hired in 2020 to lead the Canadian women's team and is under contract until the 2027 Women's World Cup. She voluntarily stepped aside from the team's Olympic opener against New Zealand once the spying scandal came to light. Canadian officials suspect that the use of drones to gain an unfair advantage may have been a systemic issue over the years.

While the points deduction imposed by FIFA does not eliminate Canada from the tournament, it places them in a challenging position. In order to have a chance at advancing, the team must now win all three remaining group games in Group A and hope to secure three points, likely as a runner-up in the standings.

Next on the agenda for Canada is a crucial match against group leaders France on Sunday in Saint-Etienne. They will then face Colombia on Thursday in Nice. The Canadian team will have to regroup and refocus amidst the controversy and strive to perform at their best to overcome the obstacles before them.

The decision made by FIFA serves as a reminder of the importance of fair play and ethical conduct in the world of sports. The repercussions of the drone spying scandal at the Paris Olympics will undoubtedly reverberate throughout the tournament, raising questions about integrity and the measures necessary to safeguard the spirit of competition.