No-Fly Zone: Canada Sanctioned Following Olympics Drone Incident

The Canadian women’s national team is dealing with serious repercussions following two incidents of improper drone use and a complaint filed by the New Zealand Football.

Today’s sanctions come after a non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team being detained by French authorities in Saint-Etienne on July 22, with a drone incident also taking place three days earlier at a New Zealand practice session.

The implication that Team Canada had spied on New Zealand with the drone lies thick in the air as the Canadian Olympic Committee has opted to impose multiple sanctions on the Canadian team coaching staff in Paris.

Canada Soccer analyst Joseph Lombardi, who was the unaccredited member mentioned previously, has now been removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and sent home. So to has assistant coach Jasmine Mander, who received the report generated by Lombardi.

Canada head coach Bev Priestman has made the decision to remove herself from coaching the Canadians in their match against New Zealand set for tomorrow, which is a decision backed by the Canadian Olympic Committee. Assistant coach Andy Spence will take the lead role in the opening match.

Lastly, all members of the Canada Soccer staff will now undergo mandatory ethics training following the two Olympics drone incidents.

“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,” said Priestman on the incident.

Priestman told media that by no means had she directed the individual staffers who have now been removed from Paris.

“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.”

Canada finds itself in a group with New Zealand, Colombia, and host nation France in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Tomorrow’s opener against New Zealand begins the festivities tournament-wide, with Les Rouges facing France on July 28 and Colombia on the 31st.

The Canadian Olympic Committee states that Canada Soccer has been transparent and cooperative during the investigation, though it will continue to review this matter and may take further action if necessary.

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques