Top African referee Omar Artan refused access to US and will miss World Cup
www.theguardian.com
Omar Artan was going to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup but was refused entry at Miami airport despite a valid travel visa

Omar Artan was going to be the first Somalian to officiate at a World Cup but was refused entry at Miami airport despite a valid travel visa

  • CombatWombat@feddit.onlineOPMEnglish
    7·
    1 month ago

    A fedi thread is kinda like a rally I guess?

    Somali officials called for the football community to rally in support of Artan. “Omar Artan is among Africa’s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community,” said Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, in a statement first shared with Agence France-Presse.

    “Denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football’s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play.”