The Canadian women's soccer team has firmly asserted their innocence despite FIFA's Olympic sanctions over a drone incident . The controversy erupted when a drone hovered over New Zealand's training session before their match against Canada at the Paris Games, overshadowing Canada’s 2-1 victory in Group A.
FIFA took decisive action, determining that the use of the drone could have unjustly influenced the match’s outcome . Consequently, Canada’s head coach, Bev Priestman, was expelled from the Olympics , with assistant coach Andy Spence stepping in.
Priestman and staff members Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander received one-year bans from international competition. FIFA imposed a six-point deduction on Canada, reducing their points tally from 3 to -3, and fined them $226,110.
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Although FIFA decided not to withhold any funding from the team, it was reported that the salary payments from the suspended coaches. Canadian center-back Vanessa Gilles expressed deep frustration and anger through all the controversy.
"We're not part of any of this, and we're getting sanctioned as if we just got caught doping. We did nothing," she insisted, visibly upset. "We're just so tired of defending ourselves over something we have no control over." Gilles recounted the emotional toll, revealing that she nearly broke her hand in frustration.
Jessie Fleming, a staple in the Canadian international system since 2012, echoed Gilles' sentiments, describing the squad’s adoption of an "us against the world" mentality. The mindset was evident in their next match against France, where Canada secured a 2-1 victory, and Fleming and Gilles both scored, with Gilles’ crucial goal coming in extra time from a left-footed shot in the center of the box.
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The point deduction significantly impacted Canada’s standing i n Group A. Despite being the only team with two wins in the group, their points tally left them at a disadvantage. Colombia now sits at the top of the group due to a goal differential, having one win and one loss, just like France. Embroiled in the drone scandal, New Zealand has yet to secure a victory at the 2024 Olympics.
Despite the sanctions and emotional distress, the Canadian team remains resolute. "We got no advantage. We go out there, we play our hearts out, we work for this all year round, day in and day out. So it's just the uncontrollables that are the biggest anger and biggest frustration," Gilles continued, nearly in tears.
The Canadian women's soccer team continues to stand by their claim that they never saw or used any footage from the drone, insisting on their innocence and commitment to fair play. Their performance against France demonstrated their capability and determination to succeed despite the challenges.
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