In a shocking turn of events, the Canadian women's soccer team has been embroiled in a drone scandal ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 Olympics in Paris. Two Canadian coaches have been removed from the organization following two separate incidents involving a drone flying over New Zealand's training sessions.

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced on Wednesday morning that Canadian team soccer analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander will no longer be part of the coaching staff during Olympic competition. In a voluntary decision, head coach Bev Priestman has also chosen not to coach in the team's first match against New Zealand on Thursday.

Expressing her remorse, Priestman issued a statement apologizing to both the players and staff of New Zealand Football as well as the players on Team Canada. She emphasized that the conduct exhibited does not align with the values that their team stands for, taking full responsibility for the actions within their program. In the spirit of accountability, Priestman made the decision to step aside to ensure the integrity and sportsmanship of the game is upheld.

Reports indicate that New Zealand team officials filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee after noticing Lombardi controlling a drone during the team's practice on Monday. The COC's official statement also revealed that a "second drone incident" occurred during a New Zealand practice on July 19.

In addition to the disciplinary actions taken, the COC disclosed that the coaching staff of Team Canada will undergo mandatory ethics training. Furthermore, an ongoing review in collaboration with FIFA is currently underway, suggesting the possibility of further consequences for the Canadian team.

The controversy surrounding the drone scandal harkens back to the infamous sports scandal known as "Spygate." As Canada seeks to defend their gold medal, won in 2020, the team will now face New Zealand amidst this scandal and without their head coach. The match between the two teams is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 11 a.m. ET.

As the fallout from this scandal continues, all eyes will be on the Canadian women's soccer team to see how they navigate these turbulent circumstances and whether they can maintain their focus on the ultimate goal of Olympic success in Paris.