Canadian Olympic officials have been forced to apologize after a member of the team’s staff was arrested by French authorities on suspicion of using a drone to film their New Zealand opponents training.
The Canadian Olympic Committee issued a statement late Tuesday night acknowledging that “an unaccredited member of the Canada Soccer support team was detained by French authorities” after the New Zealand Soccer Federation filed a complaint.
Canada, the reigning Olympic champions in women’s soccer, will face New Zealand in a group match of the Olympic tournament in Saint-Etienne on Thursday.
In its statement, the COC stated that the employee “believed to have used a drone to film the training of the New Zealand women’s football team.”
The company stands for “fair play” and is “shocked and disappointed” by the allegations, the report said.
“We would like to sincerely apologise to New Zealand Football, all players affected and the New Zealand Olympic Committee. We are reviewing the next steps with the IOC. [International Olympic Committee]Paris 2024, Canada Soccer and FIFA,” the statement said.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee said it was “deeply shocked and disappointed” by the situation. “Team support members immediately reported the incident to police, and the drone pilot, who was identified as a support staff member for the Canadian women’s national soccer team, was arrested,” it said in a statement.
“The NZOC has officially reported the incident to the IOC Integrity Unit and asked Canada to conduct a full investigation. Team Canada has apologized and is investigating the circumstances of the incident.”
According to French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, French security forces will intercept an average of six drones per day at Paris sites in 2024.
Attal said the herds were often driven by tourists who wanted to take photos.
“That’s why it’s important to remind people of the rules – there is a ban on flying drones,” he said.
“There are systems that allow us to intercept (drones) very quickly and arrest their operators.”
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