WORLD CUP USA ’94 / QUARTERFINALS : Spotlight : SENT OFF

What was supposed to be a joke ended in the deportation of Dutch journalist Lex Muller and his loss of a job.

Muller jokingly claimed Wednesday that there was a bomb on the chartered plane that was taking the Dutch national team from Orlando to Dallas, site of Saturday’s Netherlands-Brazil quarterfinal game. The flight was delayed for about five hours as a bomb squad secured the area.

Airport officials held Muller in handcuffs before U.S. officials ordered his deportation, and his newspaper, Algeen Dagblad, fired him.