The Press Association are reporting that Dwight Yorke has been denied entry to the United States. Yorke, who does work for BeIN Sports intended to fly from Qatar to his native Trinidad & Tobago on business. This entailed a routine stop-off at Miami airport.
However, Yorke has been prevented from entering the US. It has not been confirmed that this is on account of Yorke having an Iranian stamp on his passport, though his BeIN Sports colleague Richard Keys certainly believes so.
Well done @realDonaldTrump. Man U ambassador Dwight Yorke denied transit access to Miami cause he has Iranian stamp in passport. #crazy
— Richard Keys (@richardajkeys) February 17, 2017
Like Keysey, most are attributing Yorke's difficulties to the policies of the new American President. United We Stand writer Andy Mitten offers a contrary view, alleging that he's faced difficulties entering the States since February 2016, due to an interview he conducted in Tehran with Carlos Queiroz.
@richardajkeys it pre-dates the Trump presidency. Came about in Feb '16. I travelled to Tehran to interview Queiroz in '14 and face issues.
— Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) February 17, 2017
Nonetheless, there is a bitter irony here. Dwight Yorke is currently not allowed into Donald Trump's America. And yet only a few months ago, his beloved strike partner, Andy Cole was enlisted by Donald Trump in his Thanksgiving plea for unity.
Many wondered aloud as to why Trump felt the need to enlist Andy Cole in his call to unite America. Of what use could Andy Cole be in such an effort?
For those who missed it, the video consisted of Trump speaking over a series of patriotic still images - flag waving American crowds, US military personnel, as well as pictures of Trump signing autographs for young children holding USA flags.
In the middle of this slideshow was this picture of Andy Cole with two Manchester United fans.
This caused bafflement at first, until the mystery was solved by some intrepid investigative reportage.
If you type 'United USA' into Google Images, you get a series of pictures of the map of America, some decorated in the stars and stripes, others with the 50 states outlined.
However, on the third column down, you see, amidst all the maps of the USA, a rather incongruous photo of Andy Cole standing in front of the Old Trafford dugout with a couple of more obscure gentlemen, flaunting a scarf bearing the message 'One United USA'.
The photo is from an article on World Soccer Talk, a US-based soccer website. The article in question features an interview with David Herman, a prominent figure in the official Manchester United supporters club in the United States. This group goes by the name 'One United USA'.
The hypothesis must be that someone in the incoming Trump administration typed the stirring phrase 'United USA' into Google Images and, after happening upon this image, believed it not to be an expression of support for Manchester United by two American tourists who were chuffed to meet Andy Cole, but rather a touching message of unity and solidarity from an African American and two white American males.
