PARIS, France: An assistant coach and an analyst from the Canadian women’s football team were sent home from the Olympics on Wednesday after being implicated in a spying scandal.
Joey Lombardi, the team’s 43-year-old analyst, was caught flying a drone over a New Zealand training session in Saint-Etienne. He received a suspended eight-month prison sentence after pleading guilty in court.
Lombardi’s actions were reported to assistant coach Jasmine Mander, who was also sent home. Head coach Bev Priestman announced she would not participate in Canada’s opening game against New Zealand on Thursday as a demonstration of accountability and integrity.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has been in contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA, pledging transparency and cooperation. The COC is continuing to review the incident and may take further action if necessary.
The scandal erupted after French authorities detained a Canadian staff member for flying a drone to spy on New Zealand’s tactics. Further investigations revealed a second incident of spying, prompting New Zealand to file a formal complaint with the IOC integrity unit and demand answers from Canada.
Priestman expressed regret over the incident, apologizing to both New Zealand Football and the Canadian team. She emphasized that such actions do not reflect the team’s values and took responsibility by withdrawing from coaching the match against New Zealand.
New Zealand Football referred the matter to FIFA’s disciplinary committee, seeking urgent action to address the integrity breach. Chief Executive Andrew Pragnell stressed the importance of maintaining the sport’s integrity, condemning the Canadian team’s actions as unacceptable.
The incident has cast a shadow over Canada’s gold medal defence, raising concerns about fair play and ethics in the tournament. As investigations continue, the focus remains on restoring trust and ensuring that such breaches do not recur, with both teams and governing bodies keen on upholding the principles of sportsmanship and integrity.
