The New Zealand Olympic Committee has lodged a complaint after a drone flown over a Football Ferns training session at the聽Paris Olympics聽was found to be operated by a staff member of the Canadian team.
The incident happened earlier this week while the New Zealand women鈥檚 football team was training in St Etienne.
Canada, the defending Olympic champions, play the Football Ferns in the opening game on Friday morning New Zealand time.
鈥淭eam support members immediately reported the incident to police, leading to the drone operator, who has been identified as a support staff member of the wider Canadian Women鈥檚 football team, to be detained,鈥 an NZOC statement said.
鈥淭he NZOC has formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and has asked Canada for a full review.鈥
According to the statement Team Canada has issued an apology and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
鈥淭he 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, which occurred just three days before the sides are due to face each other in their opening game of Paris 2024.
鈥淎t this time the NZOC鈥檚 main priority is to support the New Zealand women鈥檚 football athletes and wider team as they start their campaign,鈥 the statement said.
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