Canada's women's soccer team, the defending Olympic champions, found themselves embroiled in a significant controversy on Wednesday as head coach Bev Priestman withdrew from their opening match against New Zealand. This decision followed allegations of a spying scandal involving a drone, which led to two members of the Canadian support staff being sent home.
The scandal erupted after French authorities detained a member of the Canadian team staff for allegedly using a drone to record New Zealand's training sessions on two separate occasions. The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) issued a statement confirming that "a non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team was detained by French authorities" after New Zealand Football lodged a complaint.
Coach Priestman expressed her regret in a public statement, saying, "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. This does not represent the values that our team stands for." She added, "I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our programme. Accordingly, to emphasize our team's commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday."
CANADIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE REMOVE STAFF FOR SPYING ON OPPONENTS
The COC sent home unaccredited analyst Joseph Lombard & assistant coach Jasmine Mander following 2 incidents of flying drones over New Zealand’s practice. Coach Bev Priestman removed herself from coaching the match pic.twitter.com/xzE9LwQwJx — The Women's Game (@WomensGameMIB) July 24, 2024
The COC identified the detained staff member as Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, who has since been sent home. Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach and Lombardi's direct report, was also sent home. The COC stated it was in communication with both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA regarding the incident.
In its statement, the COC emphasized its commitment to fair play, expressing that it was "shocked and disappointed" by the allegations. "We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee," the statement read.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) responded with its own statement, expressing deep disappointment and confirming that the incident had been reported to the police. "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," the NZOC stated. They also confirmed lodging a formal complaint with the IOC integrity unit and requested a comprehensive review from Canada.
French security forces, tasked with ensuring the safety of the Paris 2024 sites, have been intercepting an average of six drones daily, as revealed by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. These drones are often operated by tourists seeking to capture images of the venues. Attal reiterated the strict regulations against flying drones, highlighting the systems in place to quickly intercept drones and detain their operators.
The incident has cast a shadow over the Canadian team's preparations for their match against New Zealand in St Etienne. The game, crucial for both teams, is now marked by the absence of Priestman from the sidelines, a decision she made to uphold the integrity and sportsmanship of the game.
Canada's women's soccer team, which clinched the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by defeating Sweden, is now facing an unexpected challenge as they navigate the fallout from this scandal. The team's focus on maintaining its reputation and upholding sportsmanship is critical as they move forward in the tournament.
