What a way to kick off the Olympics!
Earlier in the week, a soccer staffer for Canada was accused of zooming a drone over a New Zealand training session as the two programs prepare to square off on opening day of the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s soccer tournament.
In a statement Wednesday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) confirmed that a “non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team was detained by French authorities” following the incident. (RELATED: USMNT Is Going For The Stars: Another Elite Candidate — Mauricio Pochettino — Emerges For Managerial Position: REPORT)
In a follow-up statement, the COC added that both assistant coach Jasmine Mander and the non-accredited member, Joseph Lombardi, were being taken out of Canada‘s delegation and issued back home from the Olympics. Bev Priestman, the head coach of Canada, self-imposed a suspension of one game.
The COC, as well as Priestman, gave an apology to the soccer federation of New Zealand, the country’s Olympic Committee and “all the players affected.”
New Zealand women’s soccer team claim they were spied on at a training session on Monday in St. Étienne by Canada Soccer via drone surveillance.
They have made an official complaint to the IOC.
Canada plays New Zeland Thursday morning 11 ET. #Paris2024https://t.co/m4VSkbwCPG— Shireen Ahmed (@_shireenahmed_) July 23, 2024
There were, in fact, two drone incidents. Two of Canada’s coaching staff being sent home. Priestman will not coach the first match. And Canada Soccer will undergo mandatory ethics training. pic.twitter.com/ut51hbUMrn
— Shireen Ahmed (@_shireenahmed_) July 24, 2024
Olympic soccer … it’s that serious.
