U.S. official: Somalia's Omar Artan had suspected terror ties
ESPN • • general
Key Points:
- Omar Artan, a Somali soccer referee, was denied entry into the U.S. ahead of the World Cup due to "association with suspected members of terror organizations," according to a U.S. official speaking anonymously.
- Artan was detained and questioned for 11 hours at Miami International Airport about his travel, Somali politics, and the al-Shabab militant group before being sent back to Istanbul.
- Despite having a valid visa and FIFA documentation, Artan was refused entry, marking a rare instance of a FIFA-appointed World Cup referee being denied access to the host country.
- The Somalia Youth and Sports Ministry is working with the U.S. embassy to resolve the issue, while FIFA stated it was not involved in the immigration decision and that Artan's status remains unchanged.
- Somalia is among nearly 40 countries affected by tightened U.S. travel restrictions, raising concerns about potential impacts on World Cup players, fans, and officials from these nations.