A day before the start of Team Canada’s Olympic bid, two members of the Canadian women’s soccer delegation have been removed from the Paris 2024 squad after accusations of flying a drone over the New Zealand team during practice to record them.
Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, was detained by French authorities following a complaint by New Zealand Football of a drone flying over their training session in Saint-Etienne on July 22, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
The COC said in a statement on Wednesday that it had become aware of a second drone incident at an earlier New Zealand team practice from July 19.
The drone was believed to have been used “to record” the New Zealand women’s football team practice, the committee said.
As a result, Lombardi has been removed from the Canadian Olympic team along with assistant coach Jasmine Mander, whom the support staffer reports to. Both will be sent home immediately, the COC said.
“The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair-play and we are shocked and disappointed,” COC said in a statement.
“We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”
Speaking at a virtual news conference from Paris later on Wednesday, COC’s CEO David Shoemaker said that the recorded footage was solely in the possession of the staffer who had flown the drone.
He said that the sanctions and the mandatory ethics education imposed, at the least “mitigate any advantage Canada may have had or be seen to have had against New Zealand football and their women’s national team.”
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“We are satisfied that these steps are appropriate, but have been and will continue to be in contact with the IOC and FIFA, should any further action be required.”
“This is not how Team Canada planned to start these games,” Shoemaker added.
The Canadian women’s soccer team is scheduled to take on New Zealand in a group A match on Thursday.
FIFA has begun a disciplinary proceeding in relation to the drone incidents and New Zealand has requested the world soccer body that no points be rewarded to Canada if they win the match on Thursday, Shoemaker told reporters.
Head Coach Bev Priestman, who has voluntarily withdrawn herself from coaching that particular game, also issued an apology.
“I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program,” Priestman said in a statement.
“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.”
A Paris 2024 spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing investigation into the drone use by Team Canada staffers, but said that the organizing committee was aware of the Canadian sanctions.
“We would like to remind everyone that unauthorized drone flights over Paris 2024 sites are prohibited,” the spokesperson told Global News in an emailed statement.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee said in a statement on Tuesday that it was “deeply shocked and disappointed.”
“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,” the committee said.
Federal Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough said she was in contact with the COC and Canada Soccer.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Qualtrough said Wednesday that she supports the sanctions that have been imposed and Priestman’s decision to sit out the New Zealand match.
“When rules are broken, there must be consequences,” the minister said.
The International Olympic Committee told Global News in an emailed statement that it welcomes the actions taken by the COC and was looking into New Zealand’s complaint.
“At the Olympic Games, we expect all the teams to behave and compete with respect,” an IOC spokesperson said.
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