Canada Football Staff Sent Home Over Olympic Drone Scandal

An assistant coach and an analyst with the Canadian women’s football team were on Wednesday sent home from the Olympics for their part in a spying scandal. Head coach Bev Priestman also announced she will take no part in the opening game of Canada’s gold medal defence, against New Zealand. The decisions come after a staff member was detained by French authorities for flying a drone over a New Zealand training session this week in Saint-Etienne. The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said it had since learned of a second incident involving New Zealand, which formally lodged a complaint with the IOC integrity unit and demanded answers from Canada.

“The COC is in contact with the IOC and in contact with FIFA. Canada Soccer has been transparent and cooperative throughout the process,” the COC said.

“The COC will continue to review this matter and may take further action if necessary.”

It named the staff members sent home as Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, and Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach to whom Lombardi reported.

Priestman said she did not think it would be appropriate to be on the bench for the clash against New Zealand on Thursday.

“On behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologise to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada,” she said.

“This does not represent the values that our team stands for.

“I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our programme. Accordingly, to emphasise our team’s commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday.”

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