Canada is appealing FIFA's decision to dock six points in a drone-spying scandal at the Paris Olympics women's soccer tournament.
FIFA punished Olympic defending champion Canada on Sunday and banned coach Bev Priestman along with two assistant coaches for one year following allegations that they were using a drone to spy on opponent New Zealand's practices.
The expected legal move by the Canadian soccer federation and Olympic body was officially registered on Monday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a fast-track case.
"The appeal is based on the disproportionality of the sanction," the Canadian soccer federation said in a statement, adding:
"Which we believe unfairly punishes the athletes for actions they had no part in and goes far beyond restoring fairness to the match against New Zealand."
FIFA's decision wiped out the points Canada earned by winning its first two games against New Zealand and France.
Canada could still advance to the quarterfinals in the 12-team tournament even with a loss in court and a win on the field on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.
Officials have firmly stated that no player was involved in the alleged cheating, which they believe could be a systemic problem spanning years.
Priestman, who has coached the team since 2020, has apologized and said she is "absolutely heartbroken for the players."
A panel of three judges is expected to deliver their verdict just hours before the team plays its final group-stage game against Colombia in Nice on Wednesday night.
