Matildas' rivals remove multiple coaching staff amid probe into Olympic 'spying' scandal
Canada's women's football team have removed their assistant coach and another staff member over the drone spying saga.
The Canadian women's football team have sent home two coaches and another staff member after New Zealand lodged a complaint with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about a drone belonging to their rivals appearing to spy on their training session. Canada's head coach Bev Priestman has removed herself from coaching the team at the Olympics, as probes into both her and her team continue.
On Monday staff from the Football Ferns observed a drone flying above their training facility in St Etienne as the New Zealand side went through their final preparations ahead of their opening match of the Olympics against Canada on Friday morning (AEDT). Upon spotting the drone, Kiwi officials reported it to police, with the operator later identified as a supporting staff member of Canada's women's team.
In response the Canadian Olympic Committee confirmed assistant coach Jasmine Mander and an analyst were removed and sent home. Head coach Priestman was also later kicked out of the Games in a dramatic twist.
"Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, is being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and will be sent home immediately," the COC said in a statement. "Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach to whom Mr. Lombardi reports to, is being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and will be sent home immediately."
Lombardi - who had been detained by police - was handed an eight-month suspended jail term and his material was confiscated, a French court said. FIFA has also opened proceedings against Canada Soccer, Priestman, Lombardi and Mander due to a potential breach of the body's disciplinary code. "The matter will be submitted for the consideration of the Disciplinary Committee in the next days," FIFA said in a statement.
A statement issued by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) said they were "deeply shocked and disappointed by this incident" and they demanded answers. "The NZOC has formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and has asked Canada for a full review," the statement read.
"The NZOC and New Zealand Football are committed to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games." New Zealand and Canada will kick off this year's Olympic women's soccer tournament at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Mary Fowler promises to step up at Paris Olympics
Meanwhile, New Zealand's trans-Tasman rivals, Australia, are searching for an elusive Olympic football medal at the Paris Games and star forward Mary Fowler has vowed to lead from the front. After breaking into national prominence with flashes of brilliance at her debut Olympics in Tokyo, Fowler has developed into a key figure in the Matildas' attack.
And with Sam Kerr on the sidelines, Paris looms as Fowler's chance to step up to the plate, with the creative attacker pivotal in Australia's chances of winning a medal. "The first one was a bit different because I wasn't expecting it and it was a childhood dream of mine to go to the Olympics, so I was in tears that I had achieved that," Fowler told AAP.
"This time around, I'm just more tournament-based, football-based. I want to go there and I want to win, and I want to help the team as much as I can. I feel like I'm able to help out more compared to the last time when I was more of a bench player."
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has also made it clear that the plan is to get the ball to Fowler as much as possible. And the young attacker says she has matured to the point that she is ready to take on the added responsibility. "Before, I maybe shied away a bit from having that responsibility," Fowler said.
"Because if you don't perform, then it's like, 'okay, well, you've got to take responsibility for not doing what the team needed.' Now I see it a bit differently, where if someone is putting that pressure on you or giving you a bit more responsibility in the team, it's because they believe in you and they think you're actually capable of doing that. So I take it as a bit of a pat on the back. I want to keep that standard and be consistent and do what I can to actually help the team win and not shy away from that."
with AAP
