With just days to go before the Olympics officially gets underway in Paris, Team Canada has found itself embroiled in a drone spying controversy.

Canada’s Olympic committee has apologised after a staff member from its women’s football team was detained by police after allegedly flying a drone over the New Zealand women’s training session.

It said the “non-accredited” member of the team was detained in Saint Etienne after the incident on Monday.

“The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) stands for fair play and we are shocked and disappointed,” it said.

“We offer our heartfelt apologies to New Zealand Football, to all the players affected and to the New Zealand Olympic Committee.”

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) said the incident was immediately reported to police and has since been lodged with the International Olympic Committee’s Integrity Unit.

It said it was “deeply shocked and disappointed” by the incident, noting that it happened just three days before the two sides meet in their opening match of the tournament.

It noted that Team Canada has apologised and said its priority now is to “support the New Zealand women’s football athletes and wider team as they start their campaign”.