A Somali referee chosen to officiate at the World Cup has been denied entry into the United States.
Omar Artan was turned away by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon his arrival at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday.
CBP confirmed on Monday that a Somali national who was planning to referee in the World Cup had been denied entry.
Although the CBP statement on Monday did not explicitly name the individual, Artan is the sole World Cup referee representing Somalia.
“During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP’s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” CBP said in its statement.
“Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.”
CBP noted that all travelers seeking entry into the U.S. — including athletes, coaches and staff — are subject to CBP inspection and vetting.
“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the CBP statement said.
“CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with U.S. law.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s World Cup team arrived in Mexico this weekend wearing lapel pins that paid tribute to the victims of a deadly missile strike on an elementary school at the start of the war with the United States and Israel.
The gold-colored pins, worn by players on their jackets upon arrival in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sunday, bore the number “168.”
The number refers to the victims, predominantly children, who were killed in a February 28 strike on a school in Minab, southern Iran, an attack widely attributed to the U.S.
Iran’s embassy in Hungary on Monday acknowledged the pins in a social media post, specifically referencing Minab.
The gesture follows a similar tribute by the team in March, prior to a warmup game in Antalya, Turkey. On that occasion, players displayed pink and purple school backpacks during their national anthem, drawing attention to the same incident.
