The 2024 Paris Olympics were marred by a spying scandal even before the Opening Ceremony took place. A member of the Canadian soccer team was caught flying a drone over a New Zealand practice session in France. This incident led to the staff member being detained, sent home from the Games, and multiple investigations being launched.
The drone incident occurred when the Canadian staff member, identified as Joseph Lombardi, was found filming a closed-door training session of the New Zealand team using a drone. Lombardi admitted that he used the footage to learn the tactics of the opposing team. He was charged with flying an unmanned aircraft over a prohibited area and accepted an eight-month suspended sentence. The assistant coach, Jasmine Mander, was interviewed but not charged in connection with the incident.
Following a review of the drone incidents, two staff members, Lombardi and Mander, were removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and sent home. Head coach Bev Priestman also stepped aside for the team’s opening match against New Zealand to uphold the team’s commitment to integrity.
In the match against New Zealand, with Assistant Coach Andy Spence in charge, Canada secured a 2-1 win, with goals from Cloé Lacasse and Evelyne Viens. The victory gave Canada three points in Group A, putting them tied with France at the top of the group standings.
After the match, Canada Soccer announced the suspension and subsequent sending home of Coach Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Games. The decision came amidst reports that spying activities had been ongoing within both the men’s and women’s national teams for years, including the use of drones during previous tournaments.