Somalia backs referee after he is denied entry to US
Somalia on Tuesday defended award-winning referee Omar Artan after he was denied entry to the United States, preventing him from becoming the first Somali official to officiate at a World Cup finals. In a statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Sports expressed “deep regret” over Artan’s denial of entry, saying despite diplomatic engagement with US authorities and […] The post Somalia backs referee after he is denied entry to US appeared first on The Namibian .
Somalia on Tuesday defended award-winning referee Omar Artan after he was denied entry to the United States, preventing him from becoming the first Somali official to officiate at a World Cup finals.
In a statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Sports expressed “deep regret” over Artan’s denial of entry, saying despite diplomatic engagement with US authorities and world football governing body FIFA, it was “not possible to achieve a positive outcome”.
Artan, who in 2025 was named men’s referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was barred from entering the US on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.
Artan’s appointment had been a huge source of pride for his compatriots, the country’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declaring in April he was “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”.
A spokesperson for the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said he was denied entry following a routine inspection.
