Canada women’s soccer coach Beverly Priestman will not coach her team’s opening Olympics game against New Zealand after two of her backroom staff members were sent home for flying a drone over the Kiwis’ team training.
Priestman, 38, “voluntarily” withdrew from Thursday’s game at St Etienne after the New Zealand Olympic Committee reported that a drone flew over their training session on Monday.
Jasmine Mander, Priestman’s assistant, was sent home along with “unaccredited analyst” Joseph Lombardi.
FIFA said it had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Canada Soccer, Priestman, Lombardi and Mander.
The Canadian Olympic Committee said a scouting report submitted by Lombardi was sent to Mander.
Priestman says she takes responsibility for her colleagues’ actions.
“First and foremost, I would like to apologize to the players and staff of New Zealand Football and to the players of Team Canada. This does not reflect the values our team stands for,” Priestman said.
“I am ultimately responsible for the behavior in our program.”
The COC confirmed Wednesday that an “unaccredited member of the Canada Soccer support team” was arrested by authorities.
“The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair play and we are shocked and disappointed,” it added in a statement., external
“We sincerely apologize to New Zealand football, all players affected and the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”
The NZOC said it had “officially submitted the incident to the IOC Integrity Unit and asked Canada for a full review.”
“The NZOC and New Zealand Football are committed to maintaining the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games and are deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident.”
On Thursday, a French court said Lombardi had been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to flying a drone in an urban area without a license.
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