Omar Artan banned from entering the US ahead of the World Cup, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett warns FIFA it must compensate him for the state’s actions
Omar Artan will not be allowed to enter the US (Image: Getty Images)
FIFA has been ordered to pay thousands of dollars in compensation to referee Omar Altan, who was banned from entering the United States. Artan was set to become the first Somali-born referee at this summer’s World Cup.
However, they were denied entry to the United States ahead of the Games, and organizers confirmed they would not intervene. Former PGMOL chief and former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has now taken the floor, arguing that FIFA should pay Artan the amount he would have earned during his time in the competition.
“This is extremely unfair and deprives a young referee of the opportunity to officiate at a World Cup. The path to the top is incredibly difficult and this referee has overcame obstacles to build a career that has taken him to an elite level,” he told Football Insider.
“His family and the federation will be very disappointed. The referee was expecting to receive $100,000 (about £74,630), so I hope that FIFA, which has been unable to support his case, will take the discretion to pay him and his family $100,000.”
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Mr Hackett was not the only one to attack FIFA following the decision to block Artan’s entry. Christina Unkel, a former referee who works for ITV as a World Cup commentator, said the decision caused a ripple of dissent among tournament officials.
“I felt incredibly sick,” she told talkSPORT. “This has been all over the refereeing world. The referees have been in camp in Miami since last Sunday, so it’s been over a week. The news spread quickly, not because this person has done anything, but because they are stereotyped not because of their past history, but simply because of their country of origin. It’s not a World Cup if you don’t allow the world to participate.”
Former England international and Arsenal player Ian Wright also went on a passionate rant on social media. He said: “I just read that a Somali referee was refused entry. Every few hours it’s a different story, fans refused, players refused, officials refused, journalists refused, and now another story about the referee.”
Omar Artan will not play in the World Cup (Image: Getty Images)
“You know I’m laughing at something, but it’s not funny. It’s actually not funny, so something has to be said. Expensive tickets, the most expensive tickets ever, expensive accommodations go through the roof. It has to be said.
“Is this really the behavior of a host of the greatest game, the greatest tournament in the world? Haven’t we heard more? Have we not heard more, seeing how Qatar has been dragged into it? Is this really the spirit of football?”
“You know who I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of the American fans who are desperate for this, the American soccer fans who are desperate for this. How embarrassed they are. How embarrassing this is for them.”
“This is a World Cup. This is a World Cup of turmoil. Whoever wins this World Cup is going to have to go through some serious turmoil to get this done. We hope we can do it, but we have to say something now. This is the World Cup.”
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