Iraqi striker detained for hours at Chicago airport, official says

An Iraqi sports official has said that national team striker Ayman Hussein was detained and questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport after arriving with the national squad early on Saturday morning.

The official, who works with the Iraqi Olympic Committee and is closely linked to the national team, said Hussein was eventually allowed to enter the United States. However, he added that the team’s photographer was denied entry.

There was no immediate comment from the Iraqi Football Association or from Hussein, one of the team’s leading players who scored the decisive goal that secured Iraq’s qualification for the World Cup.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security have also not yet responded to requests for comment.

A video circulating on social media showed fans gathering in the early hours at the airport to welcome the Iraqi team, waving flags and asking players for photographs, just days ahead of the start of the tournament.

The official said the 30-year-old striker’s phone was also searched upon arrival.

He added that “the national team photographer, Talal Salah, was detained for more than ten hours, had his phone searched, and was then refused entry into the United States.”

Iraq is returning to the World Cup finals for the first time in 40 years, marking a major milestone for the national side.