There’s a competition with a longer history in the Olympics than almost any other sport: the race between cheaters and authorities to outsmart the other in the hopes of obtaining a prize, or safeguarding its dignity. The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the latest flashpoint, has featured familiar controversies like reports of doping by 23 Chinese swimmers, but also some more innovative tactics, such as the alleged use of drones by the Canadian women’s soccer team staff to spy on their rivals’ practice sessions.
Members of the New Zealand team spotted the drone and reported it to the French authorities, who then traced it back to Joseph Lombardi, a staff member of Canada Soccer. The team was docked six points and the offending staff members suspended, with some Canadians complaining that the treatment was unfair.
