Canada Women's Soccer Coach to Miss Opener Over Drone Incidents

Bev Priestman, the coach of Canada's women's soccer team, announced she will not coach the team's opening match against New Zealand at the Paris Olympics. This decision follows two drone incidents reported by New Zealand. The International Olympic Committee's integrity unit received a complaint from New Zealand about drones flying over their practice sessions earlier in the week.

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) confirmed that assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi were sent home. "I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program," Priestman stated. "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."

Commitment to Fair Play

Priestman also issued an apology to New Zealand. "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," she said. The COC echoed this sentiment, expressing regret over the incident.

The COC's statement read, "The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair play and we are shocked and disappointed. We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee." The NZOC emphasized its commitment to maintaining the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games.

Previous Drone Incidents

This is not the first time a Canadian soccer team has faced issues with drones during international training sessions. In 2021, Honduras halted a training session in Toronto before a men's World Cup qualifier against Canada due to a drone sighting. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

The COC also confirmed that a non-accredited member of Canada's soccer team staff was detained by French authorities after a drone was spotted above their training session. The NZOC stated its priority is supporting its women's football athletes as they begin their campaign.

The Canadians are defending gold medalists, adding weight to their commitment to fair play and integrity in sportsmanship. The incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about privacy and fair play in international sports competitions.