PARIS — Canadian soccer staff were caught flying a drone over a New Zealand training session earlier this week, as the two teams prepared to face off on the opening day of the 2024 Olympic women's soccer competition.
The Canadian Olympic Committee confirmed in a statement Wednesday that “an unofficial member of the Canada Soccer support team was detained by French authorities” following the incident.
The COC later added in a statement that non-official member Joseph Lombardi and his boss, assistant coach Jasmine Mander, had been removed from the Canadian delegation and sent home from the Olympics, while head coach Bev Priestman also self-imposed a one-game suspension.
Priestman and the COC also apologised to the New Zealand Football Union, the New Zealand Olympic Committee and “all athletes affected”.
“I take ultimate responsibility for the conduct within our program,” Priestman said in a statement. She said she was “voluntarily stepping aside” to coach the New Zealand match “to underscore our team's commitment to integrity” and “to ensure that the best interests of both teams are considered and that everyone feels that the sportsmanship of the game is upheld.”
The New Zealand Olympic Committee initially raised the issue in a statement on Tuesday. Once team members noticed the drone, “police were immediately notified,” the committee said.
French authorities have been on high alert this week ahead of Friday's opening ceremony, an outdoor event along the Seine River. Safety concerns have led authorities to strictly enforce a ban on drone flights in and around Games venues across France. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said Tuesday that authorities are intercepting an average of six drones a day.
“We have a system in place that can intercept them very quickly. [drones] “And we have to catch the perpetrators,” Attal said. “We can't let anything slide.”
Attal said the drone was shot down, likely flown by a tourist who was unaware of the restrictions.
What they probably didn't expect was having to keep an eye on the reigning Olympic women's soccer champions ahead of a match against a weaker team.
Canada won gold in Tokyo and begins its title defence on Thursday in Saint-Etienne, a few hours south of Paris, against New Zealand, the least favoured of a four-team group that also includes France and Colombia.
Both Canada and New Zealand were training in the area ahead of the opening games, and the New Zealand Olympic Committee said it had filed a formal complaint with the International Olympic Committee after reporting the drone to police and “called for a full investigation by Canada.”
The IOC has not yet commented and did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. It is unclear whether Canada will be punished.
The Canadian Olympic Committee said it was “shocked and disappointed” to learn of the incident.
“We offer our sincere apologies to New Zealand Soccer, all the players affected and the New Zealand Olympic Committee,” the COC said in a statement. “We are working with the IOC, Paris 2024, Canada Soccer and FIFA to evaluate next steps. [soccer’s global governing body]I will update later [Wednesday]”
