The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) was forced to apologize Tuesday after it was made aware that a non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team was detained by French authorities for using a drone to allegedly spy on the New Zealand women’s football team during a practice in Saint-Étienne Monday.
In statement released Tuesday, the COC said it was “shocked and disappointed” by the incident and it offered its “heartfelt apologies” to the New Zealand football team and New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC).
The NZOC also released a statement announcing it had formally lodged the incident with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that they have asked the COC for a full review.
The defending gold medalist Canadian women’s soccer team is scheduled to open their Paris Olympics tournament against New Zealand Thursday.
Canada then face hosts France on Sunday, July 28 before wrapping up the group stage against Columbia Wednesday, July 31.
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