Somali referee Omar Altan will not officiate the match. world cup After being denied entry to the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Monday that a Somali national scheduled to officiate at the World Cup was denied entry after arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday. Although CBP’s statement did not mention the person by name, Artan is the only World Cup official from Somalia.
FIFA confirmed late Monday that Artan will not be able to practice or officiate at the World Cup.
“FIFA is not involved in the host country’s immigration procedures, including visa checks, and we have been informed by the authorities that Mr. Artan’s status will not change at this time,” soccer’s governing body said in a statement. “As with previous FIFA events, the host country’s government will ultimately decide who will receive a visa and who will be allowed entry into their country.”
CBP issued a release explaining why Artan was denied entry.
“During processing, travelers were subjected to additional testing, which is a routine part of CBP’s testing process when personnel need to review information or determine admissibility,” CBP said in a statement. “As a result of the inspection, the traveler, who is a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be ineligible for entry due to screening concerns and was refused entry.”
CBP noted that all travelers seeking entry to the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspection and screening.
“Admission decisions are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of the inspection,” CBP said in a statement. “CBP officers have the authority to question travelers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility in accordance with U.S. law.”
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