Women’s Sports Take Center Stage on Day 2 of Paris Olympics Amid Spying Scandal

Women’s Sports Highlighted on Day 2 of the Paris Olympics

On Thursday, the Paris Olympics will shine a spotlight on women’s sports, featuring several exciting matches in both football and handball. However, the football games are overshadowed by a recent spying scandal involving the reigning Olympic gold medalists, Canada. The controversy escalated with the immediate return home of two staff members from the Canadian team—assistant coach Jasmine Mander and football official Joseph Lombardi.

What Led to the Scandal?

Earlier this week, New Zealand lodged a formal complaint with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding a series of troubling incidents involving drones hovering over their training facility. Canada subsequently confirmed that a non-accredited individual associated with their team was apprehended after a drone was observed flying over their training session. In response, Canada issued an earnest apology to the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

“The Canadian Olympic Committee stands firmly for fair play, and we are both shocked and disappointed by these events,” the statement read. “We extend our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, the players affected, and the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”

This isn’t the first time a Canadian football squad has been embroiled in a drone-related controversy involving an international competitor. In 2021, during a World Cup qualifier match in Toronto, the Honduran team halted a training session upon spotting a drone above the field, as reported by Honduran media outlets.

Full Schedule for the Paris Olympics on Thursday, July 24

In the realm of men’s sports, the first knockouts will take place, with the rugby sevens quarter-finals scheduled for later in the evening. Archery will kick off the individual sports at the Olympics, featuring both men’s and women’s sessions throughout the day. Notably, competitions will pause on Friday in honor of the opening ceremony in Paris, which begins at 19:30 CET.

Archery

• Women’s individual ranking round (Paris, Invalides – 09:30 CET)
• Men’s individual ranking round (Paris, Invalides – 14:15 CET)

Football (Group Stage – Women’s)

• Canada vs. New Zealand (17:00 CET, Saint-Étienne)
• Spain vs. Japan (17:00 CET, Nantes)
• Germany vs. Australia (19:00 CET, Marseille)
• Nigeria vs. Brazil (19:00 CET, Bordeaux)
• France vs. Colombia (21:00 CET, Lyon)
• USA vs. Zambia (21:00 CET, Nice)

Handball (Preliminary Round – Women’s)

• Slovenia vs. Denmark (09:00 CET, Paris)
• Netherlands vs. Angola (11:00 CET, Paris)
• Spain vs. Brazil (14:00 CET, Paris)
• Germany vs. South Korea (16:00 CET, Paris)
• Hungary vs. France (19:00 CET, Paris)
• Norway vs. Sweden (21:00 CET, Paris)

Rugby Sevens (Men’s Pool)

• Samoa vs. Kenya (14:00 CET, Paris)
• Argentina vs. Australia (14:30 CET, Paris)
• USA vs. Uruguay (15:00 CET, Paris)
• Fiji vs. France (15:30 CET, Paris)
• South Africa vs. Japan (16:00 CET, Paris)
• New Zealand vs. Ireland (16:30 CET, Paris)
• Quarter-finals (from 21:00 to 22:30 CET, Paris)