A scandal erupted before the start of the women's football tournament at the Paris Olympics: New Zealand accused Canada for unauthorized use of a drone to film its team training, sparking outrage and official complaints.
Olympic football scandal
Unexpected incident in Saint-Etienne
On the eve of the start of the women's football tournament at the Olympic Games in Paris, an unpleasant incident broke out. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has leveled serious allegations against Canada over the illegal use of a drone to monitor the New Zealand women's soccer team training.
Incident details
The event took place on Monday in the city of Saint-Etienne, where the New Zealand team was preparing for its debut match in the group stage. According to the NZOC statement, a member of the Canadian delegation's support staff flew the drone over the New Zealand women's training field.
Law enforcement response
The New Zealand side immediately informed the local police about the violation. Law enforcement officers detained a drone operator who, as it turned out, was part of the extended roster of the Canadian women's soccer team.
Position of the New Zealand Olympic Committee
NZOC management expressed extreme dissatisfaction with what happened. “We have submitted a formal appeal to the International Olympic Committee's integrity department and insist that Canada conduct a thorough investigation. This is a matter of fair play and ethical standards,” committee representatives emphasized.
Canadian Olympic Committee Response
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) responded to the allegations by expressing surprise and regret. "The COC is committed to the principles of fair play. We are shocked and saddened by this incident. We apologize to the New Zealand Football Association, all affected players and the New Zealand Olympic Committee," the COC said in a statement.
Further actions
The Canadian side initiated an internal investigation into the incident and assured of its readiness to cooperate with the IOC, the organizers of the Olympics in Paris and FIFA to resolve the current situation.
Upcoming match
Teams Canada and New Zealand are scheduled to meet in the first round of the group stage of the Olympic soccer tournament on Thursday at the " Geoffroy Guichard" in Saint-Etienne. Considering that the Canadians are the current Olympic champions, the upcoming confrontation promises to be especially intense.
Glossary
- NZOC - New Zealand Olympic Committee, the organization representing New Zealand's interests in the Olympic movement.
- COC - Canadian Olympic Committee, the national sports organization of Canada, responsible for the country's participation in the Olympic Games.
- IOC - International Olympic Committee, the governing body of the Olympic movement.
- FIFA - International Football Federation, the governing body of world football.
- Saint-Etienne is a city in France where the New Zealand team trained and the match between the national teams will be held.
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Answers to questions
What happened at the New Zealand women's soccer team's training session?
How did the New Zealand Olympic Committee react to the incident?
What was the reaction of the Canadian Olympic Committee?
What action has been taken against the drone operator?
How might this incident affect the upcoming match between Canada and New Zealand?
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Discussion of the topic – Spy scandal at the Olympics: drones over the football field
A scandal erupted at the Paris Olympics when the New Zealand women's soccer team accused Canada of using a drone to spy on their training. The incident occurred in Saint-Etienne and caused widespread resonance in the sports community.
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Ethan
Wow! Canadians decided to use a drone for spying? This is too much 😮 I wonder what they hoped to see at the New Zealand women’s training?
Sophie
Yeah, Ethan, this is clearly too much. But, to be honest, I’m more surprised that they got caught 🤦♀️ Couldn’t they have come up with something less obvious?
Giovanni
Sophie, what can we come up with? Modern technologies provide a lot of opportunities for espionage. Drones are just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine what will happen next 🕵️♂️
Amelie
Giovanni, you're right! Maybe it’s worth introducing a new Olympic discipline - synchronized control of drones over someone else’s field? 😂 At least it will be honest!
Klaus
Ugh, youth! Give you all the jokes and new technologies. And they completely forgot about fair sport and respect for the opponent. In our time there was no such disgrace!
Ethan
Klaus, don't be such a grump! Times change, and so does sports. But you are right that honesty and respect should remain a priority 🤝 I hope Canadians learn a lesson from this situation.
Maria
But it seems to me that everyone is making a mountain out of a mountain. Just think, a drone! It’s as if the teams didn’t monitor each other before 🙄 Technology just became more noticeable.
Lena
Maria, you may be right, but rules are rules. I wonder how this will affect the game? The Canadians are the current champions, but there is such a scandal before the match with the New Zealanders 🏆⚽