Cannavaro criticizes US security checks on Uzbekistan
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro has responded after his players were subjected to increased controls in New York. Similar operations would have targeted Senegal in San Antonio; other incidents involving delegations and officials were reported before the start of the 2026 World Cup.
A few days before the start of the 2026 World Cup (United States, Canada, Mexico), targeted security checks against national teams have caused controversy. According to information relayed by First Post, the delegations from Uzbekistan and Senegal were subject to special searches upon their arrival in the United States.
According to reports, the Senegalese selection was forced to check bags directly on the tarmac at San Antonio airport (Texas). The Uzbek team would have undergone checks with sniffer dogs and metal detection gates in New York, before their friendly against the Netherlands played on Monday June 8, 2026.
Uzbek coach Fabio Cannavaro commented on the incident to CGTN Sports Scene: “They told me it was the rules, but in the end the search was only done for us. »
These images and testimonies triggered a wave of indignation on social networks. Several Internet users described the situation as “shameful” and denounced unnecessary humiliation. Others believe that the controls were intended to ensure the smooth logistics of operations in the United States.
At the same time, other worrying episodes were reported before the opening of the tournament: Somali referee Omar Artan was reportedly refused entry to the United States, the Iranian selection was instructed to only enter and leave the country on the day of its matches, and Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was detained and questioned for nearly seven hours at the airport, according to the same sources.
FIFA and the US authorities have not been the subject of detailed public statements in the information reported by First Post at the time of publication. The treatment reserved for several delegations nevertheless fuels criticism and raises questions about the security procedures applied to the participating teams a few days before the start of the World Cup.