Somali referee Omar Artan will ultimately not participate in the World Cup after being refused entry to the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Monday that a Somali national, expected to officiate at the competition, was denied entry to the country upon his arrival Saturday at Miami International Airport from Istanbul. Although CBP did not release his name, Omar Artan is the only Somali referee selected for the tournament.
FIFA confirmed earlier today that Artan will be unable to participate in World Cup preparations or referee matches. The governing body also released a statement from the referee.
Despite this situation, I remain optimistic and focused on the next steps in my career,” said Omar Artan. “I thank FIFA and the Confederation of African Football for their support. I will continue to work to maintain the highest level of refereeing and prepare for the future. I am also grateful to the football family for their many messages and I wish my colleagues all the best during this World Cup. I hope to see them again at future competitions.”
In a separate statement, FIFA stressed that it does not intervene in immigration procedures and that it had been informed by US authorities that Artan's situation would not be reviewed immediately.
"As with previous competitions organized by FIFA, it is up to the government of the host country to make the final decision on the granting of visas and admission to its territory," the organization reminded.
For its part, CBP explained that all travelers entering the United States, including athletes, coaches and competition staff, are subject to the same screening procedures.
“Admissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, based on available national security, immigration, and law enforcement information at the time of inspection,” the U.S. agency stated. “CBP officers are authorized to interview travelers, conduct screenings, and determine their admissibility in accordance with U.S. law.”
