FIFA says its disciplinary committee has opened proceedings against Canada Soccer and three members of the women’s team’s staff in the aftermath of two drone incidents ahead of the Paris Olympics.

In a press release Wednesday, FIFA said it is investigating head coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi “due to the potential breach of article 13 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and article 6.1 of the Regulations Olympic Football Tournaments Games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024.”

Mander and Lombardi were ousted from the team’s staff, the Canadian Olympic Committee said earlier Wednesday in a statement in which it accepted head coach Priestman’s decision to not coach the opener in Saint-Etienne against New Zealand on Thursday.

The International Olympic Committee also released a statement on Wednesday.

“The IOC welcomes the actions announced today by by the Canadian Olympic Committee following a drone incident which occurred earlier this week,” the IOC said in a statement, per Ben Steiner of CBC Olympics. “We expect all the teams to behave and compete with respect.”

The COC said Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst, reports to Mander.

CBC Olympics, per Devin Heroux, also obtained a copy of a Saint-Etienne prosecutor’s press release on Wednesday and translated it from French.

The release says a 43-year-old Canadian man arrested for flying a drone over a New Zealand practice told police he was using the footage to “learn the tactics of the opposing team.”

Lombardi’s age is listed as 43 on the Canada Soccer website.

The prosecutor said the arrest was made Monday after a New Zealand team manager alerted the venue supervisor about a drone.

Analysis of the images by the prosecutor showed New Zealand players applying instructions given by their coach that day, as well as footage of training from two days earlier.

The prosecutor said an assistant coach to whom the arrested man reports to also was interviewed, but said she had nothing to do with the acts and was exonerated.

The man was arrested for maintaining an unmanned aircraft over a prohibited area. The release says the man accepted a suspended sentence of eight months imprisonment in the presence of his lawyer.

— with files from CP.

FIFA, the international governing body of football, has recently launched an investigation into Canada’s drone incidents during their World Cup qualifying matches. The incidents have raised concerns about the safety and security of players, officials, and fans at these high-profile events.

The first incident occurred during a match between Canada and Honduras, where a drone was spotted flying over the stadium during the game. This raised concerns about potential security breaches and the possibility of the drone being used for malicious purposes.

Following this incident, FIFA has decided to launch a full investigation into the matter to determine the source of the drones and to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future. The organization is working closely with local authorities and security agencies to gather information and evidence related to the incidents.

FIFA has strict regulations in place regarding the use of drones at football matches, and any unauthorized use of drones is considered a serious breach of security. The organization takes the safety and security of all individuals involved in football matches very seriously and will take appropriate action against those responsible for the drone incidents.

In light of these recent events, FIFA is also considering implementing additional security measures at future matches to prevent similar incidents from occurring. This may include increased surveillance, stricter enforcement of drone regulations, and enhanced security protocols at stadiums.

Overall, FIFA is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals involved in football matches, and will continue to work closely with local authorities to address any security concerns that may arise. The investigation into Canada’s drone incidents is ongoing, and FIFA will provide updates as more information becomes available.