Canada Olympic chiefs apologize for drone flight over New Zealand soccer team’s training
Canada's women's soccer team trains at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics
(CNN) — Canadian Olympic chiefs have apologized after a member of staff for their women’s soccer team allegedly flew a drone over a New Zealand team training session, three days before they face each other at the Paris Games.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) acknowledged that “a non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team was detained by French authorities” after a complaint was made by New Zealand Football.
Defending Olympic champions Canada are set to play New Zealand on Thursday in a group-stage game.
New Zealand’s team spotted the drone flying overhead Monday during their training session in Saint-Étienne, a city 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of the French capital, where the match will be played.
In its statement, the COC said it “stands for fair-play and we are shocked and disappointed.”
“We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee. We are reviewing next steps with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), Paris 2024, Canada Soccer, and FIFA.”
The COC later announced that two members of the Canadian Olympic Team would be sent home immediately: Joseph Lombardi, who the COC says is an “unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer,” and assistant coach Jasmine Mander, who Lombardi sent his report to.
Additionally, the COC said it will accept head coach Bev Priestman’s offer to “remove herself from coaching the match against New Zealand.”
“On behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologize to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada,” Priestman said in a statement. “This does not represent the values that our team stands for,” Priestman said. “I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program.
“Accordingly, to emphasize our team’s commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday. In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld.”
The NZOC said it was “deeply shocked and disappointed.”
“Team support members immediately reported the incident to police, leading to the drone operator, who has been identified as a support staff member of the wider Canadian women’s football team, to be detained,” it said in a statement.
“The NZOC has formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and has asked Canada for a full review. Team Canada has issued an apology and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Canada Soccer spokesperson Paulo Senra told CNN his federation “is working closely and cooperatively with the Canadian Olympic Committee on the matter involving the Women’s National Team.”
New Zealand Football, soccer’s world governing body FIFA, the IOC and Paris 2024 have not replied to CNN’s requests for more information.
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