World Cup drug bust: Cops intercept massive haul

Customs authorities at Hamad International Airport “foiled the smuggling” of 1,990 tramadol pills and 464.5 grammes (16.4 ounces) of hashish, according to a statement on Twitter, a day after the tournament began.

The illicit substances were found when customs officials “suspected” a passenger and inspected the luggage, the customs service said in its statement.

The passenger, whose nationality was not given, will appear in court, an official said.

Qatar has predicted that more than one million fans will come to the Gulf state for the month-long tournament that ends December 18.

The Gulf emirate has strict laws on drug possession which include long prison terms, large fines and deportation.

The World Anti-Doping Agency is due to add tramadol, an addictive synthetic opiate, to its banned list from 2024.

It is already prohibited in cycling.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland said in media interviews this year that he considered killing himself because of his overuse of tramadol

GOAL! WALES BREAK 65-YEAR WAIT

It could only be one man. Gareth Bale has just scored his first ever World Cup goal and his country’s first in 64 years.

From the penalty spot the star winger took it all in his stride as he equalised for Wales in their opening clash against the USA.

Score is 1-1 with about 8 minutes to play.

7:23AM JOURNO DETAINED FOR RAINBOW SHIRT

A respected journalist from New York has been detained by World Cup officials for wearing a rainbow t-shirt to a match.

Grant Wahl, soccer analyst for CBS and former Sports Illustrated writer, was refused entry to the Senegal v Holland clash in Qatar and apprehended for almost half an hour.

He took to his social media to share what was happening which only made matters worse.

“Security guard refusing to let me into the stadium for USA-Wales. “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed,” Wahl tweeted with an image of himself in the aforementioned t-shirt.

Same-sex relationships are illegal in the World Cup’s host nation and the topic of LGBTQ+ rights has been prominent for years in the lead up to the most controversial edition of the tournament.

However, FIFA has been adamant that rainbow flags would be welcomed at the World Cup (unless you’re a player wanting to wear an armband)

Wahl’s mobile phone was forcibly snatched from his hands, security repeatedly told him his t-shirt was “political” and that it needed to come off.

“You can make this easy. Take off your shirt,” Wahl claims one security guard said.

“I told him no, adding that my shirt wasn’t political at all,” Wahl; wrote in his description of the incident.

“My friend Andrew Das, a reporter for the New York Times, walked past, and I informed him what was going on. They detained him too.

“Eventually, the guards made me stand up, turn around and face the CCTV camera above us.”

After almost half an hour, Wahl continued: “A security commander approached me. He said they were letting me through and apologized. We shook hands.

“One of the security guards told me they were just trying to protect me from fans inside who could harm me for wearing the shirt.

“A FIFA rep later apologized to me as well, but the entire episode left me wondering: What’s it like for ordinary Qataris who might wear a rainbow shirt when the world isn’t watching here? What’s that like?”

7:10 AM FIFA ACCUSED OF BULLYING

LGBTQ rights campaigners and fan groups have accused FIFA of “bullying” teams into deciding not to wear the armbands.

“The OneLove armband was the tiniest of gestures,” said prominent LGBTQ activist Peter Tatchell in a statement.

“It was a weak campaign, but even that was too much for FIFA, who have bullied the England team to not wear it.” The Football Supporters’ Association, which represents fans in England and Wales, said: “Today we feel betrayed. Today we feel contempt for an organisation that has shown its true values by giving the yellow card to players and the red card to tolerance.

“It’s astonishing that on the morning of England’s World Cup opener, FIFA are censoring players… who wish to share a positive message.”

6:15AM IRAN COACH DEFENCE OF HIS TEAM

Iran manager Carlos Queiroz has launched an impassioned plea for “moralist” fans of his side to back off following a 6-2 shellacking by England in their World Cup opener.

Two months after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody after her arrest by Iran’s morality police for wearing inappropriate attire, protests both in and out of Iran have captured the world’s attention.

Some, however, back the government stance and that’s placed Iran’s football team, huge idols in their homeland in an impossible situation, one that Queiroz feels affected his side in the England loss.

“Whatever they do, whatever they say, they want to ‘kill’ them,” Queiroz said afterward, speaking figuratively, not literally.

“Can you imagine whatever you say or do, you’re killed. Let them play the game!”

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5:15AM IRAN’S ANTHEM BOYCOTT

Iran’s players did not sing their national anthem before their first game of the World Cup against England, in apparent support for anti-government protesters in their homeland.

Ahead of the game in Qatar, captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh said the team would decide together whether or not to refuse to sing the anthem in a show of solidarity for demonstrations that have rocked the regime in Iran.

The Iranian players stood impassively and grim-faced as their anthem rang out around the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.

Iran has been shaken by two months of nationwide protests since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody on September 16.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin, died three days after her arrest in Tehran over an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s dress code for women, which includes the mandatory hijab headscarf.

Some Iranian athletes have chosen not to sing the national anthem or celebrate their victories in support of the protesters.

4:45AM SENEGAL UPSET

Two late goals gave the Netherlands a 2-0 victory over African champions Senegal on Monday as Louis van Gaal’s men made the perfect start to their World Cup campaign in Qatar.The deadlock in a cagey Group A game was broken in the 84th minute when in-form winger Cody Gakpo glanced home Frenkie de Jong’s cross, before substitute Davy Klaassen scored a second in added time

3AM ENGLAND OFF TO A FLYER AMID BAN SAGA

England made a scintillating start to their World Cup campaign as Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham inspired a 6-2 rout of outclassed Iran in Monday’s Group B opener in Doha.

Saka and Bellingham were England’s driving forces with dynamic displays that underlined their emergence as two of the game’s brightest young stars.

Bellingham, 19, shattered Iran’s hopes of frustrating England when he rose to head his maiden senior international goal in the first half.

Gareth Southgate’s side were in sparkling form at the Khalifa International Stadium and goals from Saka and Raheem Sterling put them in complete control before half-time.

Saka, 21, netted again after the interval and, although Mehdi Taremi struck twice for Iran, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish completed the demolition.

There will be far sterner tests to come for England as they bid to win their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

But this was a welcome step in the right direction for Southgate, whose team arrived in Qatar on a six-match winless run that triggered scathing criticism of the Three Lions boss and his perceived negative tactics.

The only concern for Southgate was the sight of Harry Maguire being replaced in the second half after being checked for a potential head injury.

England play their second match against the United States on Friday and conclude their Group B fixtures against Wales on November 29.

3:30AM SEVEN NATIONS FORCED TO ABANDON ONE LOVE ARMBAND

Seven World Cup nations have been forced to abandon plans to wear the inclusive One Love armband after an ‘unprecedented’ FIFA edict which could have resulted in the suspension of each nation’s captain during the group stage.

England coach Gareth Southgate has said his team will take the knee before their World Cup matches in Qatar to send a strong message of “inclusivity”.

But captain Harry Kane will not wear the rainbow One Love armband, following the shock decision by FIFA on Sunday to threaten captains who did so with yellow and red cards.

And nor will the captains of Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, following a tough FIFA call this week.

Kane had previously pledged to wear the armband along with other European captains at the tournament, as a symbol of inclusivity – in particular for the LBGTQ community in a country where same-sex relationships are strictly outlawed.

But the threat of losing their captain to a ban in the group stage prompted a stunning back-track from the seven federations who revealed the news in a joint statement just 3 hours before England’s World Cup-opening match against Iran.

“FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field,” the statement read.

“As national federations we can’t put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games.

“We are prepared to pay fines that would normally apply to breaches of kit regulations, and had a strong commitment to wearing the armband.

“However we cannot put our players in the situation where they might be booked or even forced to leave the field.

“We are very frustrated by the FIFA decision which we believe is unprecedented – we wrote to FIFA in September informing them of our wish to wear the One Love armband to actively support inclusion in football and had no response.

“Our players and coaches are disappointed – they are strong supporters of inclusion and will show support in other ways.”

Speaking before the news, France captain Hugo Lloris – who had already declared he would not be wearing the armband this tournament – reiterated his stance, and put the pressure back on FIFA to make the changes.

“FIFA is organising this competition. It is therefore up to FIFA to put in a regulatory framework. For us as players, we’re here to play football,” Lloris said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday morning’s showdown with Australia.

“I prefer to stay in my box. I am a player and a competitor of this competition.

“But yes there are different causes that are very important that should be supported, that are commendable, as I mentioned it’s up to FIFA with regards to the organisation of the competition.”

Taking a different position, Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri said it was important to respect the culture of the Muslim-majority country in which the tournament was taking place.

“We’re in an Arab country with Islamic traditions,” Kadri said.

“We have to respect the culture and convictions of everybody. We’re in Qatar, they respect other cultures, religions and religious beliefs.”

Originally published as World Cup 2022 results, live scores, schedule: England def Iran, rainbow armband plans abandoned