The recent treatment of the Senegalese national team at a US airport, alongside the denial of entry for a Somali referee and the interrogation of an Iraqi player, highlights the ongoing colonial hierarchies in global sports. This article explores how these incidents reflect deeper issues of race, nationality, and power dynamics in contemporary society.

Visa issues for players and officials ahead of the FIFA World Cup in the US have raised immigration concerns.

A Somali referee said he was detained, questioned and sent home. And an Iraqi player said he was subjected to intensive questioning at the border.