Canada women’s football manager Beverly Priestman will not take charge of her side’s Olympics opener against New Zealand after two members of her backroom staff were sent home for allegedly flying a drone over the Kiwis’ team training session.
Priestman, 38, has “voluntarily withdrawn” from Thursday’s match in St Etienne after the New Zealand Olympic Committee reported that a drone had been flown over their training session on Monday.
Jasmine Mander, Priestman’s assistant, has been sent home along with “unaccredited analyst” Joseph Lombardi.
Fifa said it has opened disciplinary proceedings against Canada Soccer, Priestman, Lombardi and Mander.
The Canadian Olympic Committee say a scouting report filed by Lombardi was sent to Mander.
Priestman says she takes responsibility for the actions of her colleagues.
“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,” Priestman said.
“I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program.”
The COC confirmed on Wednesday that a “non-accredited member of the Canada Soccer support team” was detained by authorities.
“The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair play and we are shocked and disappointed,” it added in a statement., external
“We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”
The NZOC said it has “formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and has asked Canada for a full review”.
“The NZOC and New Zealand Football are committed to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games and are deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident.”
On Thursday a French court said Lombardi had been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to flying a drone in an urban area without a licence.