25 Jul 2024

The Olympics begin as Canada spies on NZ

From Paris Essentials, 11:00 am on 25 July 2024
All Whites captain Matthew Garbett celebrates his goal during the Paris Olympics 2024 Football game between All Whites vs Guinea at Nice Stadium, in Nice, France. Wednesday 24 July 2024. Copyright Photo: Raghavan Venugopal / www.photosport.nz

All Whites captain Matthew Garbett celebrates his goal during the Paris Olympics 2024 Football game between All Whites vs Guinea at Nice Stadium, in Nice, France. Wednesday 24 July 2024. Copyright Photo: Raghavan Venugopal / www.photosport.nz Photo: Raghavan Venugopal

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The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are officially underway, and New Zealand have made a victorious start.

That's when they're not dealing with other nations spying on them.

The Canadian women's football team has sent home two of its staff from the Olympics in Paris after a spying scandal involving the New Zealand women's team.

Canada assistant coach Jasmine Mander and an analyst, Joseph Lombardi, have been removed from the team and sent home after Lombardi used a drone to spy on a Football Ferns training session in Saint Etienne.

Lombardi reported directly to the assistant coach, Mander.

Canadian head coach, Bev Priestman - who used to be the Head of Football at NZ Football - has also stood herself down for the opening game against New Zealand, she says "in the spirit of accountability".

The two teams play each other tomorrow.

In the meantime, the OlyWhites men's football team started with a 2-1 win over Guinea, while the New Zealand Sevens men started with a 40-12 win over Japan, and a 17-5 triumph over South Africa to book a place in the quarterfinals.

And in this episode, we help explain how some of the newer Olympic sports work.

RNZ Explainer Editor Katie Kenny talks through breaking, or break dancing for those who aren't cool and hip, as well as the second appearances for speed climbing, skateboarding, and surfing.