New Zealand’s Olympic Committee says their women’s football team had their training session disrupted by a drone flown by a staff member of the Canadian team. Defending Olympic champion Canada and New Zealand – the Football Ferns – meet in their opening match at the tournament on Thursday.
“On July 22, a drone was flown over the New Zealand women’s football team training session in St Etienne,” the NZOC said on Wednesday. “Team support members immediately reported the incident to police, leading to the drone operator, who has been identified as a support staff member of the wider Canadian Women’s football team, to be detained.”
The incident was immediately reported to the International Olympic Committee’s integrity unit and Team Canada has since apologised and is said to be investigating, the NZOC said.
“The NZOC and New Zealand Football are committed to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games and are deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident, which occurred just three days before the sides are due to face each other in their opening game of Paris 2024,” the NZOC statement said. “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 Canadian Olympic Committee said they were informed of the incident involving “a non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team,” adding that they are “reviewing next steps with the IOC, Paris 2024, Canada Soccer and FIFA.”
“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 COC said in a statement.
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New Zealand and Canada will kick off this year’s Olympic women’s football tournament at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
