Details emerge on Canada’s 2024 Olympics drone spying scandal

Feb 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Canada head coach Beverly Priestman walks on the pitch prior to the game against El Salvador at Shell Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Canada women’s soccer has been in the midst of a scandal throughout the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The reigning Olympic gold medal winners were reportedly caught spying on their opponents on Monday, July 22nd. Per a report from ESPN’s Sam Borden, New Zealand’s women’s soccer had informed French authorities that day about a drone flying over their practice sessions.

The drone was traced back to Canadian staff member Joseph Lombardi. Both Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were held responsible for the spying activity and sent home by the Canadian Olympic Committee.

On July 24, Canada Soccer announced an investigation into the incident. The program’s chief executive, David Blue, shared the group’s findings after the “preliminary conversations” from the investigation. Blue admitted that the incident does not appear to be an isolated case but rather a part of a “systemic culture.”

Three days after the drone spying incident, Canada beat New Zealand 2-1. The two teams are both in Group A, along with Colombia and host nation France.

Lombardi, Mander, and head coach Beverly Priestman were all banned from working in soccer for one year. Priestman stated that she never directly ordered her staffers to spy on opponents. But all three were found to be “responsible for offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play.”

Canada women’s soccer was penalized six points for the incident. You can read more about the extensive report on the scandal here .

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