Olympics 2024: New Zealand football team launch complain after drone invasion in training by Canada support staff

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New Zealand has raised a complaint with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) integrity unit after discovering a drone flown over their women's soccer team training session was operated by a member of Canada's support staff.

The incident happened earlier this week, just before the two teams' opening match at the Olympic tournament on Thursday (July 25). Even before the start of the Olympics 2024, controversy has already started to rack up its counter.

Drone Invasion in New Zealand Women's Team Training

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) revealed that team members immediately reported the drone to the police. This led to the identification and detention of the operator, who was part of the Canadian Women's football team's support staff.

"The NZOC has formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and has asked Canada for a full review," said an NZOC statement.

Canada's Olympic Committee responded with an apology to both the NZOC and New Zealand Football and effectively admitted the allegations.

"The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair play and we are shocked and disappointed. We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected, and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee," Canada apologized.

The NZOC emphasized their commitment to maintaining integrity and fairness in the Olympic Games. Their primary focus remains on supporting their women's football athletes as they begin their campaign.

This isn't Canada's first brush with drone-related controversies in soccer. In 2021, Honduras halted a training session in Toronto ahead of a men's World Cup qualifier against Canada after noticing a drone overhead.

Fair play in international sports competitions is a massive commitment and Canada seems to have diverted from that. As technology advances, ensuring that all teams compete on an equal footing becomes increasingly challenging.