Canadian women害羞草研究所檚 soccer coach Bev Priestman removed herself from Thursday害羞草研究所檚 Olympic Games opener against New Zealand and two team staff members were sent home after two drone incidents.

Assistant coach Jasmine Mander, from North Delta, and Canada Soccer analyst Joseph Lombardi were ousted from the soccer team害羞草研究所檚 staff, the Canadian Olympic Committee said Wednesday in a statement in which it accepted Priestman害羞草研究所檚 decision to not coach the opener in Saint-Etienne, France.

The shakeup came after the COC害羞草研究所檚 review of a drone incidents in Saint-Etienne. There were reports that drones flew over New Zealand害羞草研究所檚 practice sessions both Monday and last Friday.

害羞草研究所淚 am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program,害羞草研究所� Priestman said in Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 statement. 害羞草研究所淎ccordingly, to emphasize our team害羞草研究所檚 commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday. In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淥n behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologize 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.害羞草研究所�

The COC also said that Canada Soccer staff will be required to undergo mandatory ethics training.

Canada is the defending Olympic champion in women害羞草研究所檚 soccer after capturing gold three years ago in Tokyo. New Zealand is ranked 28th in the world.

New Zealand害羞草研究所檚 Olympic Committee alerted police after a drone was flown over the women害羞草研究所檚 soccer team practice Monday, and the COC confirmed Tuesday that a 害羞草研究所渘on-accredited害羞草研究所� member of Canada害羞草研究所檚 soccer team staff was detained by French authorities.

The NZOC also registered a complaint with the International Olympic Committee害羞草研究所檚 integrity unit and had asked Canada for a full review.

The COC apologized to the NZOC and that country害羞草研究所檚 soccer federation, stating it was 害羞草研究所渟hocked and disappointed害羞草研究所� over the conduct.

It害羞草研究所檚 not the first time a Canadian soccer team has been involved in a drone controversy involving an international rival害羞草研究所檚 training session.

In 2021 at Toronto, Honduras stopped a training session ahead of its men害羞草研究所檚 World Cup qualifier against Canada after spotting a drone above the field, according to reports in Honduran media. The teams played to a 1-1 draw.

French security forces guarding Paris 2024 sites are intercepting an average of six drones per day, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said Tuesday.

Attal added the drones are often operated by 害羞草研究所渋ndividuals, maybe tourists wanting to take pictures.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 why it害羞草研究所檚 important to remind people of the rules. There害羞草研究所檚 a ban on flying drones,害羞草研究所� he said, according to multiple news outlets.

害羞草研究所淪ystems are in place to allow us to very quickly intercept (drones) and arrest their operators.害羞草研究所�

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