Iran to boycott World Cup draw over lack of visa for federation president

A spokesperson for the Iranian football federation (FFIRI) described the decision to reject the visa application as “unrelated to sport”, and the move raises the prospect of Iran withdrawing from the tournament altogether. Iran is one of 19 countries whose citizens are restricted from entering the US since a directive issued by Donald Trump in June. An exemption to the ban was granted to athletes, coaches or “persons performing a necessary support role” who were travelling for the World Cup or “other major sporting event”, but appears not to have been applied in this instance (Read more at Guardian).