Somali referee Omar Artan will reportedly receive his full tournament salary from FIFA despite being prevented from officiating at the World Cup.
The 34-year-old was sensationally denied entry to the United States following an 11-hour interrogation by immigration officials at Miami International Airport.
While referees are typically paid their salaries after the conclusion of the World Cup, football’s world governing body has moved to ensure the Somali official is not financially penalised for the travel complications that ended his dream prematurely.
Artan had arrived in Florida with high hopes of representing his nation on the biggest stage in football. However, his journey was cut short when US authorities rejected his diplomatic passport and single-entry visa, leading to his immediate deportation.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances, FIFA officials provided assistance to the referee during his transit in Istanbul before he returned home to Mogadishu.
The details surrounding Artan’s exclusion have sparked intense discussion within the football community. United States government officials claimed that Artan was barred from entry due to an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.”
During an 11-hour ordeal at the airport, border officials questioned him regarding potential links to the militant group Al Shabab.
Artan has vehemently denied any such connections and expressed his heartbreak over the situation.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” Artan explained.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
