US gives Senegal, Uzbekistan football teams thorough security checks upon arrival

The national football teams of Senegal and Uzbekistan faced unusually stringent security checks upon their arrival in the United States for the World Cup, leading to atypical scenes for both delegations. Images circulating on social media showed a U.S. agent conducting a detailed search of Senegal's Pathé Ciss on the tarmac at San Antonio airport as other team members waited.

While immigration controls are standard, such extensive physical searches on the tarmac are not common. The Uzbekistan team experienced a similar situation before a friendly match in New York. Security agents searched each member of the Uzbek delegation and had their belongings inspected by police dogs before allowing them access to the stadium.

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They told me that they were the rules, but in the end the control was only for us.

Uzbekistan's coach, Fabio Cannavaro, expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, "They told me it were the rules, but in the end, the control was only for us." This incident adds to the controversies surrounding the World Cup's lead-up, including the recent denial of entry to a Somali referee selected to officiate in the tournament. The Somali government has condemned the referee's exclusion, demanding an explanation from Washington and FIFA.

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declared inadmissible due to issues in the background verification process and was denied entry.