The Canadian women’s football team is embroiled in a significant scandal at the Olympics after an assistant coach and an analyst were dismissed for their involvement in a spying incident. Analyst Joey Lombardi, 43, was handed a suspended eight-month prison sentence by a French court for operating a drone over New Zealand’s training session in Saint-Etienne. Lombardi admitted guilt in court, and his actions led to his immediate dismissal.
Assistant coach Jasmine Mander, who was Lombardi’s superior, was also sent home as a result of the scandal. In response to the incident, Canada’s head coach Bev Priestman announced she would not be on the bench for Canada’s opening match against New Zealand, emphasizing the importance of maintaining integrity and accountability.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has been in communication with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA, and has pledged to review the matter thoroughly. The COC has acknowledged the seriousness of the breach and may take further action if needed.
New Zealand Football has formally lodged a complaint with FIFA, seeking urgent action to address the integrity breach. New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell expressed deep concern over the secret filming of their training sessions and stressed the need for prompt and decisive measures to uphold the integrity of the tournament.
