Sports
Canada Faces Scrutiny Over Drone Use in Olympic Training
Canada’s national soccer team officials are facing scrutiny over the use of drones before the Paris Olympics, potentially tarnishing their Tokyo 2020 women’s gold medal. This development follows the suspension of Bev Priestman, the former head coach of Canada’s women’s Olympic team, after a drone was reportedly flown over New Zealand’s training session on Monday.
The head of Canada’s Olympic Committee stated that Priestman, 38, was “highly likely” aware of the incident, leading to her suspension by Canada Soccer. Reports from Canadian media suggest that both the men’s and women’s senior teams have utilized drones for years, though these claims have been met with both denial and acknowledgment of past drone use.
Canada Soccer’s chief executive, Kevin Blue, confirmed he had received “anecdotal feedback” regarding drone usage during the men’s team’s successful run to the Copa America semi-finals this summer. Coach Jesse Marsch was reportedly unaware of the drone’s use until after the event. Blue stated, “I am aware of an instance of attempted drone usage at the Copa America. I have spoken with our current head coach about the incident after it occurred, and I know he denounced it as a practice to his staff.”
David Shoemaker, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s chief executive, expressed concern, stating there “appears to be information that could tarnish” Canada’s women’s football triumph at the Tokyo Games. Shoemaker said, “It makes me ill, it makes me sick to my stomach to think that there could be something that calls it into question.”
Christine Sinclair, a former Canada striker and the world’s all-time leading international goal scorer, remarked that players were never shown drone footage. On Instagram, Sinclair stated, “It’s unfortunate that players of our national team had to play through condemnable actions by some of their staff as they attempt to defend our gold medal. Actions players have no control over.”
Priestman, who served as an assistant coach to Phil Neville with the England women’s team, became Canada boss in October 2020, before the delayed Olympics in Japan. She “voluntarily” withdrew from Canada’s opening 2-1 victory over New Zealand on Thursday, while assistant Jasmine Mander and “unaccredited analyst” Joseph Lombardi were sent home.
In a statement on Wednesday, Priestman said she took responsibility for her colleagues’ actions after a scouting report filed by Lombardi was sent to Mander. On Thursday, a French court handed Lombardi an eight-month suspended jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to flying a drone in an urban area without a license.
Blue expressed hope that FIFA, football’s world governing body, would not consider sanctions against the country’s national team players.
Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
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