A viral video that sparked outrage online falsely claimed the Senegal national football team faced discriminatory treatment at a US airport.
The footage spread rapidly across social media, with posts alleging US authorities subjected the African champions to excessive security checks on the airport tarmac.
Many users accused officials of racism, claiming white athletes would not have been treated the same way.
However, an official investigation found the video showed routine boarding procedures in North Carolina aimed at streamlining the team’s travel.
The claim of mistreatment weakened further after a widely shared image of the team’s coach was identified as an AI-generated fake.
Although the claims were debunked, the controversy has added to concerns surrounding the tournament over strict entry rules and administrative challenges.
