In a subsequent statement, the COC agreed that a staff member it described as an “unauthorised member” of the support team “appears to have been filming the New Zealand women's football team training with a drone”.
“The Canadian Olympic Committee is committed to fair play and is shocked and disappointed,” the organization said. “We offer our sincere apologies to the New Zealand Football Union, all the players affected and the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”
The Olympic Committee said it was “discussing next steps” with the IOC, Paris organizers, the Canadian Soccer Federation and International Football Association (FIFA) and that an update was expected on Wednesday.
The incident occurred in Saint-Etienne, about 300 miles southeast of Paris, where Canada and New Zealand are scheduled to play Friday in a group stage match that will open the Olympics.
Canada defeated Sweden in the gold medal match at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to become the reigning Olympic champions.
Later that year, the Honduran men's team canceled practice in Toronto ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Canada after a drone was reportedly spotted during the training session.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee said on Tuesday it was “deeply shocked and disappointed” by the incident in Saint-Etienne, adding that it was “committed to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games.”
French security forces are intercepting an average of six drones a day around preparation areas for the Summer Olympics, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Tuesday (via AFP) as various security measures are put in place for this year's Games.
Attal suggested some of the drones had been flown by “tourists”, saying: “That's why it's important to remind people of the rules: flying drones is prohibited.”
