In a pre-match controversy at the Paris Olympics, the Canada and New Zealand women's soccer teams found themselves embroiled in a drone incident that has raised concerns about fair play and integrity. The incident, which occurred during a training session, led to a formal complaint from New Zealand and subsequent disciplinary action by the Canadian Olympic Committee.

New Zealand lodged a complaint with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) integrity unit after a drone was flown over their women's soccer team training session. The perpetrator was soon identified as a member of the Canadian team's support staff and was promptly detained by the police.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) issued a statement, saying, "Team support members immediately reported the incident to the police, leading to the detention of the drone operator, who has been identified as a support staff member of the wider Canadian Women's football team. We have formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and have requested a full review from Canada."

The Canadian Olympic Committee, in response to the incident, announced disciplinary measures on Wednesday, shedding light on a second drone incident that took place on July 19. The committee disclosed that the individuals involved in the unauthorized drone flights, identified as "unaccredited analyst" Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander, were sent home from Paris.

As a result of these events, Canadian soccer head coach Bev Priestman has made the decision not to coach the team's match against New Zealand on Thursday, emphasizing the team's commitment to integrity. Priestman issued a statement, apologizing to the players and staff from both teams and taking full responsibility for the conduct within their program.

"On 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," expressed Priestman. "I am ultimately responsible for the conduct in our program. Accordingly, to emphasize our team's 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."

This incident comes as a disappointment for both teams and casts a shadow over what was expected to be an exciting and fair competition. The Canada women's soccer team is the defending gold medal winner, having triumphed over Sweden in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The IOC integrity unit is expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the drone incident, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to maintain the spirit of fair play and integrity at the Paris Olympics.