According to ESPN, before the first round of women’s soccer matches at the 2024 Paris Olympics, an astonishing event took place: the Canadian team illegally spied on New Zealand’s training.
The New Zealand women’s soccer team and the Canadian women’s soccer team are set to face each other in the first round of the women’s soccer competition at the Paris Olympics. As such, both teams are preparing actively for this match.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee stated that one of the members of the Canadian team illicitly spied on their women’s soccer team’s training, using a drone to film the session. The New Zealand Olympic Committee has reported the incident to the International Olympic Committee: “Support staff immediately reported the matter to the police and identified the drone operator as a member of the Canadian women’s soccer team.”
The New Zealand Olympic Committee expressed that they were very shocked by this and consider it an issue of integrity and fairness. In response, the Canadian side also expressed shock and offered an explanation: “The Canadian Olympic Committee supports the spirit of fair play, and we are extremely disappointed. We offer our sincerest apologies to the New Zealand football community, all affected players, and the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”
Canada also stated that the drone operator was an informal member of the Canadian women’s soccer team’s logistics team. It is understood that this individual has been detained by French police.
The first match between the New Zealand women’s soccer team and the Canadian women’s soccer team will take place at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard (Saint-Étienne). New Zealand (alongside Australia) previously hosted the 2023 Women’s World Cup, while Canada is the reigning Olympic champion in women’s soccer.