We already have an Olympic scandal: Canada women's soccer members sent home for spying on opponents with drone

The assistant head coach and an analyst for the Canada women's soccer team have been kicked off the roster after a spying scandal erupted at the Paris Olympics. Head coach Bev Priestman will also miss her side's opening game against New Zealand on Thursday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) confirmed, after her staff were caught hovering a drone above their opponents' training session.

On Monday, a little over 72 hours before their matchup with the Canucks, the drone was spotted above the New Zealand squad's base in Saint Etienne. The incident was subsequently reported to police, who uncovered the the operator of the spy craft as a member of the Canadian support staff. An investigation by the COC uncovered a further drone incident three days earlier, leading to them removing two staff members from their setup. Canada Soccer staff are also due to undergo mandatory ethics training.

"Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, is being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and will be sent home immediately," said a COC statement. "Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach to whom Mr. Lombardi reports, is being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and will be sent home immediately."

FIFA have also launched an investigation of their own into Canada Soccer, Lombardi,  Mande and Priestman. The latter, who coached Canada to gold medals in Tokyo, will also play no part in the Group A opener at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

"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," Priestman said. "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."

Janine Beckie, a veteran of the Olympic-winning roster from three years ago, was stinging in her criticism of the coaching staff's actions, which the Portland Thorns forward said reflected poorly on the nation. "We are super disappointed in the events that have happened," she told reporters. "It does not reflect Canadians or who we are as competitors, [there is] lots of disappointment there.

"As a team we are focused in the match doing wheat we need to do to perform and have all 22 players in a good headspace. It doesn't reflect who we are players and competitors. Not having your coaches is something but at the same time we know we are ready to perform. It comes down to us performing on the team and I know all 18 players on the roster tomorrow are ready to go."

Canada remain heavy favorites to take the win against the Football Ferns, who have won just two of their 13 Olympic matches and were eliminated at the group stage of last year's World Cup, for which they were co-hosts. Per multiple reports, Andy Spence will lead Canada from the sidelines in their opener.

A statement from the New Zealand Olympic Committee on Tuesday said they had "formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and asked Canada for a full review. Team Canada has issued an apology and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

"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. At this time the NZOC's main priority is to support the New Zealand women's Football athletes and wider team as they start their campaign."

FIFA say the matter "will be submitted for the consideration of the Disciplinary Committee in the next days." Hosts France and Colombia make up the remainder of Group A, where subsequent fixtures will be played on July 28 and 31.

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