BBC World Cup Reporter Drugged, Robbed in Russia; 2 Men Detained on Suspicion

A British reporter for the BBC has been drugged and robbed while working at the World Cup in Russia, and two men have been detained in connection with the alleged crime.

Per Russian news agency TASS, Irina Volk, a spokesperson for the Russian Interior Ministry, said:

"As a result of the search operation, a suspect in the robbery of a British national has been detained. Yesterday, the British national reported to the police that he had been robbed in a taxi. As a result of the search operation, officers of the criminal police found the car which the man had taken and one of the suspects had been detained. He is now being questioned."

Volk added to another Russian news outlet, Interfax (h/t ESPN), that an additional man had been detained on suspicion as well.

The reporter drank a spiked cup of coffee while taking a taxi at 3:30 a.m. Friday morning before losing consciousness.

When he awoke at a Metro station, his bank cards and phone had been stolen. The reporter subsequently sought medical care, and Moscow police were contacted.

Miguel Delaney, chief football writer of The Independent, was also robbed while working in Russia over the weekend:

Delaney added on Twitter that he was approached by two men minutes after cutting a taxi journey short.

There are just four matches remaining in the 2018 World Cup as France take on Belgium and England face Croatia in the semi-finals before the winners and losers advance to either the final or the third-place play-off, respectively.