Mexico and South Korea are set to meet in the second round of Group A matches, but this World Cup game is already making headlines, and not flattering ones. A suspected spying scandal has landed on FIFA's doorstep, and initial lines of inquiry have already been reported in the Mexican media.
South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said at a press conference that a drone had been spotted over his team's closed training facility and was intercepted by security forces in Mexico City. The incident occurred about 24 hours before the match against Mexico, making the Mexicans the first suspects, although this is not the first case of drones flying over training complexes or stadiums during the World Cup.
"We noticed the drone over our training session immediately, but luckily it happened right at the beginning," Hong said. "It happened before we began focusing on tactical aspects, so this incident will not have a significant impact on our preparations. Still, it is a regrettable incident."
FIFA and Mexican police to investigate
The intercepted drone was described as "unregistered," and the security forces responsible for investigating the affair have not yet made any arrests or determined who the small aircraft belongs to. Similar incidents have also occurred in security zones around stadiums in Guadalajara and Monterrey, and FIFA is expected to investigate the phenomenon as well, which may extend beyond the sporting sphere.
Following the "spy drone" incident over South Korea's training complex, Mexico may join the sweeping ban on drone flights already in place in the two other World Cup host countries, the US and Canada. In Canada, the ban is in effect until July 7 and is expected to be extended.
It should be noted that as far as FIFA is concerned, members of the Mexico team are not officially suspected of spying, while the Mexican team has not commented on the incident at all. All sides are waiting for the Mexico City police investigation to progress, and only once the picture becomes clearer and new details about the incident are received, will appropriate steps be taken.
