US official claims World Cup referee was banned over links to ‘terror organisations’
Trump official says questioning of Omar Artan uncovered ‘derogatory information’ regarding the Somalian, who vows to be at next World Cup
World Cup referee Omar Artan of Somalia was denied entry into the United States for the tournament owing to security concerns, broadcasters CNN have reported.
CNN said they were told by an official of President Donald Trump’s administration that “the vetting uncovered ‘derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organisations’”.
The report said the official “did not provide further details on the alleged association with terror organisations”.
Artan, meanwhile, returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu and vowed to take part in the next tournament in Morocco, Portugal and Spain in 2030.
More than 100 supporters lined up outside the VIP section of Mogadishu’s main airport, waving national flags as Artan disembarked from a Turkish Airlines flight to cheers.
“I will be at the next World Cup and will continue to make Somalia proud … Despite what has happened to me, I am not discouraged,” Artan told journalists.