Somalia referee Omar Artan has opened up on the disappointment of missing the World Cup after he was denied entry into the United States.
Artan would have become the first referee from the African country to officiate at the mundial, but was dropped from the list of officials by FIFA on Tuesday after he was not allowed to enter the United States despite holding the right visa.
Reacting to the incident, the award-winning referee expressed as his dream of officiating at the World Cup was shut down over country-related issues.
“I am very, very disappointed”, Artan revealed.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream – the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa”, the 34-year-old added.
“I think that they have a problem with my country.”
Artan was delayed for several hours at the immigration, before he was taken into detention and then put on a flight to Turkey, as he was not allowed to enter the country.
US President Donald Trump had placed Somalia on the list of countries banned from entering the country last year, which was one of the reasons the 34-year-old was denied entry.
“Fifa is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present”, FIFA said in a statement.
There has also been several issues regarding the US ahead of the World Cup, with plenty of controversies surrounding their treatment of several countries for the tournament.
Players and officials of several nations were subjected to harsh treatment at the borders upon entry, while the Iran members were not allowed to set up their base in the country.
The World Cup will begin on Thursday when fellow hosts Mexico face off against South Africa in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup opening match which ended 1-1.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
