US denies entry to Somali World Cup referee over alleged terror links
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, one of 52 officials selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was stopped at Miami International Airport despite having a valid visa and detained for over 11 hours before being deported to Istanbul. US Customs and Border Protection said additional screening revealed derogatory information, including alleged association with suspected terror organisation members, making him inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Artan insisted he had the correct documents, but FIFA later confirmed he cannot train or officiate at the tournament. Somalia’s government praised him as the nation’s most accomplished sporting figure, said it made diplomatic efforts to support his travel, and welcomed him home as a hero. The incident raises concerns about visa screening biases affecting African officials and highlights how security procedures can disrupt international sporting events, even for those cleared by FIFA’s rigorous three‑year selection process. For Nigerians following African representation in global sports, this underscores the need to monitor immigration policies that could impact future officials and athletes, and to support fair treatment of talent regardless of origin.