Olympics soccer drone recording complaint sees Team Canada staff sent home

A time earlier nan commencement of Team Canada’s Olympic bid, 2 members of nan Canadian women’s shot delegation person been removed from nan Paris 2024 squad aft accusations of flying a drone complete nan New Zealand squad during believe to grounds them.

Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited expert pinch Canada Soccer, was detained by French authorities pursuing a title by New Zealand Football of a drone flying complete their training convention successful Saint-Etienne connected July 22, according to nan Canadian Olympic Committee.

The COC said successful a connection connected Wednesday that it had go alert of 2nd drone incident astatine an earlier New Zealand squad believe from July 19.

The drone was believed to person been utilized “to record” nan New Zealand women’s shot squad practice, nan committee said.

As a result, Lombardi has been removed from nan Canadian Olympic squad on pinch adjunct coach Jasmine Mander, whom nan support staffer reports to. Both will beryllium sent location immediately, nan COC said.

“The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair-play and we are shocked and disappointed,” COC said successful a statement.

“We connection our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to each nan players affected, and to nan New Zealand Olympic Committee.”

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The Canadian women’s shot squad is scheduled to return connected New Zealand successful a group A lucifer connected Thursday.

Head Coach Bev Priestman, who has voluntarily withdrawn herself from coaching that peculiar game, besides issued an apology.

“I americium yet responsible for behaviour successful our program,” Priestman said successful a statement.

“Accordingly, to stress our team’s committedness to integrity, I person decided to voluntarily retreat from coaching nan lucifer connected Thursday.

“In nan tone of accountability, I do this pinch nan interests of some teams successful mind and to guarantee everyone feels that nan sportsmanship of this crippled is upheld.”

The New Zealand Olympic Committee besides said that it was “deeply shocked and disappointed.”

“At this clip nan NZOC’s main privilege is to support nan New Zealand women’s shot athletes and wider squad arsenic they commencement their campaign,” nan committee said.