Two Canada Soccer staff members have been sent home and Canada women’s head coach Bev Priestman removed herself from Thursday’s Paris Olympic Games soccer tournament opener against New Zealand after two drone incidents this week.
In a statement Wednesday, Canada Soccer announced that Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, and Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach to whom Mr. Lombardi reports to, were being being removed from the Canada Olympic Team and were being sent home immediately.
Canada coach takes responsibility
On Tuesday it was announced that a Canada Soccer support staff member 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.
Canada head coach Priestman formally took responsibility for the conduct of her staff Wednesday, and as a result has voluntarily removed herself from Thursday’s game.
Canada Soccer staff members Joseph Lombardi, left, and Jasmine Mander. Photo courtesy Canada Soccer
But the statement did not say if she was aware her staff were using drones in the build up to the Olympic tournament.
“On behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologize to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada,” said Priestman via the statement. “This does not represent the values that our team stands for.
Loading ...“I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program. Accordingly, to emphasize our team’s commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday. In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld.”
Canada Soccer staff will also undergo mandatory ethics training as a result of the incident.
Canada kicks off Olympic Games
The defending gold medalist Canadian women’s soccer team 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.
