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The plot in Canadian soccer\u2019s Olympic drone spying scandal<\/a> thickens. A TSN<\/em> report<\/a> alleges that the Canadian men\u2019s and women\u2019s soccer teams have been spying on opponents \u2014 with and without drones \u2014 for years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Earlier this week, the Canadian Olympic women\u2019s soccer team landed in hot water after the New Zealand team spotted a drone flying over their practice. The incident was reported to French authorities, and it was discovered that the drone operator was Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited \u201canalyst\u201d with the Canadian squad. Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were subsequently sent home, while head coach Bev Priestman voluntarily withdrew from the opening match against New Zealand. Priestman has since been suspended<\/a> from the Games entirely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It would\u2019ve been a big enough scandal had this been a one-off, but TSN<\/em>\u2019s report cites sources close to the matter saying the team used the same tactics during the women\u2019s team\u2019s gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and a Women\u2019s World Cup qualifier game against Panama in 2022. The men\u2019s national team also reportedly filmed practice sessions of the US men\u2019s team in 2019 and a World Cup qualifier against Honduras in 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n More troubling: the report alleges that Canadian team staff and contractors were told that drone spying was part of the job \u2014 and that their positions were threatened if they didn\u2019t comply. One source told TSN<\/em> that during the Tokyo Olympics, staff even hid behind bushes, fences, and trees to film the Japanese team\u2019s practice session. Another Canada Soccer contractor said when they refused to partake in the filming scheme for the 2023 Women\u2019s World Cup, they were replaced by a staffer who would.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kevin Blue, CEO of Canada Soccer, says the body is investigating the \u201csystemic ethical shortcoming<\/a>\u201d but that the organization isn\u2019t considering withdrawing the women\u2019s team from the Games. Blue also insisted that the players were unaware of the drone spying tactics and pleaded that the team not be further penalized. Meanwhile, FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings<\/a> against Canada Soccer and Priestman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n