In the build-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, two coaching staff members of the Canadian women’s football team were given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after admitting to spying on New Zealand’s training session in Saint-Etienne using a drone. The decision came after the French authorities detained one of the Canadian staff members this week.
The court in Saint-Etienne confirmed to APF the admission of guilt from the Canadian coaching staff members. The assistant coach of the Canadian women’s football team involved in the spying scandal was Jasmine Mander, along with “unaccredited analyst” Joseph Lombardi, both of them being sent home.
It led to the head coach of the Canadian women’s team, Bev Priestman, announcing her decision not to participate in the opening match of their gold medal defence against New Zealand in Group A.
With the help of the two separate incidents of spying done by the Canadian staff members, a scouting report was sent by Jasmine Mander to Joseph Lombardi, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). Following the second spying incident, New Zealand filed an official complaint about the matter with the IOC integrity unit, looking to seek clarification and action from Canada.
Bev Priestman took responsibility for actions from her colleagues and said, “I first and foremost want to apologise to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada. This does not represent the values that our team stands for. I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program.”
Moreover, Canada are slated to play against New Zealand in their opening match of women’s football in Saint-Etienne on Thursday, July 25.