2020 Olympic champions Canada have begun the defence of their football crown in turmoil, after being caught spying on their opponents New Zealand ahead of their clash in Saint-Étienne on Thursday.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee reported their opponents to the IOC on Tuesday, alleging that a drone had been flone over their training session. They further alleged that they had identified the culprit as a support staff member of the Canadian women's football team.
In a statement, the NZOC said:
The NZOC and New Zealand Football are committed to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games and are deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident, which occurred just three days before the sides are due to face each other in their opening game of Paris 2024.
As the situation developed, a second incident saw a non-accredited member of the Canadian staff detained by police for improper use of a drone.
The farcical incidents have now seen head coach Bev Priestman voluntarily step aside ahead of Thursday's game, with two members of staff sent home permanently.
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Canada staff step down after New Zealand spying incident
In a statement ahead of the opener in Saint-Étienne, the Canadian Olympic Committee confirmed not only the resignations but that a third drone incident had occurred at last Friday's New Zealand training session.
Assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst under Mander's remit, have been sent home from the Olympics.
Canadian women's soccer team coach Bev Priestman will not coach against New Zealand in Canada's first Olympic soccer game on Thursday after an investigation discovered there were two incidents where drones were flown over New Zealand's women's Olympic team training sessions.
Two… pic.twitter.com/4Y1GmAWTNR— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 24, 2024
Additionally, the team's English head coach Bev Priestman has voluntarily removed herself from preparations for the clash with New Zealand.
In a statement, Priestman apologised on behalf of the Canadian group and said that her decision was made in "the spirit of accountability."
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.
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.
Priestman was the head coach when Canada won gold in Tokyo but there is a very disappointing feeling around the team after this week's revelations.
Thursday's game is set to take place in Saint-Étienne - the same venue which saw a chaotic opening to the games with the men's tournament getting underway on Wednesday.
The very first event of the Olympics saw Moroccan fans halt the game in the 16th minute of second half injury time, as they threw projectiles and invaded the pitch in response to a contentious late Argentinean equaliser. When the game finally resumed hours later, the Argentina goal was finally chalked off for offside, with Morocco winning 2-1.
The Olympic football has already served up its fair share of controversy before the opening ceremony has even taken place.
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