Using drones a major security issue in Paris, Western University Olympic expert says

As the head of the only academic program in North America devoted to studying the social and cultural issues related to the Olympic Games, Angela Schneider said the drone scandal buzzing around Canada's women's soccer team has the potential to "derail" their efforts in Paris. 

"This is really sad for women's soccer in Canada," said Schneider, CEO of Western University's International Centre for Olympic Studies. She spoke to CBC News from Paris, where she's conducting academic research while the Games are underway and following every twist and turn of the drone story. 

She said it's unfortunate the controversy could overshadow the efforts of the players.

"They have made such gains with young women ... they have earned a lot of respect," she said.

Schneider said much of that respect, which came in no small part from the team's gold medal performance at the Tokyo Games four years ago, could quickly erode. 

The scandal began to unfold two days ago, when two team staffers were sent home amid allegations a drone was used to capture video images of the New Zealand team practising. 

Since then, the scandal has widened, with head coach Bev Priestman suspended Friday for the remainder of the Games amid statements from the Canadian Olympic Committee that she was likely aware that drones were being used to spy on another team's practice. 

Schneider said she's flabbergasted anyone would attempt to fly a drone in Paris during the Games for any reason. It's been well reported that their use in the French capital is banned for the duration of the Games. 

"The reason they're completely banned is for security reasons," she said. "The fact that somebody would use a drone for an attempt to gain an unfair advantage in sport when they're banned for high security reasons was shocking." 

Security concerns at the Games remain front and centre after arsonists attacked the French rail network just hours before the start of the opening ceremony. 

And while Schneider said the drone scandal isn't what's being talked about in the streets and cafes of Paris,  in Canada and New Zealand it remains front-page news. 

One commentator compared  the drone controversy to the doping scandal that cost Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson his gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. 

Schneider has studied all manner of Olympic-related scandals and there have been many: from judging controversies, to doping debacles, to bribery allegations tied to the host city bid process. 

She said the questions and revelations about Canada's women's team aren't likely to slow down, particularly with FIFA — football's international regulatory body — also looking into what happened.