“It’s unfortunate that the players of our national team have had to play through condemnable actions by some of their staff as they attempt to defend our gold medal. Actions players have no control over. I want to be clear that having been a national team player for 23 years, we were never shown or discussed drone footage in team or individual meetings I’ve been present for.”
The scandal erupted when allegations surfaced that Canadian staff had used drones to spy on New Zealand’s training sessions before the match. This led to the removal of head coach Bev Priestman from her position and the dismissal of two staff members. What should have been a routine victory for the defending Olympic champions was overshadowed by these serious accusations.
Despite the controversy, Canada secured a win with goals from Cloé Lacasse and Evelyne Viens. Assistant coach Andy Spence stepped in for Priestman, leading the team to victory in front of a sparse crowd at Geoffrey-Guichard Stadium. The Football Ferns led early, courtesy of Mackenzie Barry, was short-lived as Canada’s resilience shone through, eventually clinching a 2-1 win.
The fallout from the scandal is ongoing, with Canada Soccer launching an independent external review and FIFA beginning disciplinary proceedings. One of the implicated staff members, Joseph Lombardi, received an eight-month suspended jail term, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Soccer have both issued apologies to New Zealand Football and the affected players.
Sinclair remains optimistic about the team’s future in the tournament: “With one win already under their belts, I cannot wait to see what these players can continue to achieve in this tournament together, and I will continue to support the players along the way.”
Luke Kirkness is the Sports Planning Editor for the NZ Herald. He’s an award-winning journalist who also covered consumer affairs for the Herald and served as an assistant news director.
