FIFA drops Somali World Cup referee after US denies him entry
FIFA has announced that Somali FIFA referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been removed from the World Cup officiating list after the United States refused his visa application. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Somali Football Federation strongly criticised the decision.
Al Jazeera reported that FIFA's official letter to the Somali Football Federation said Artan has been removed and that another African referee is being considered as a replacement. U.S. authorities said Artan's visa application had been "subject to the administration's enhanced security review."
CAF President Patrice Motsepe described the decision as "unacceptable" and said the body had sent a formal letter to Washington. Abdiqani Said Arab, head of the Somali Football Federation, called on FIFA "not to compromise the principle of universal access for athletes and match officials."
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said the visa process "remains based on individual security assessments" but declined to give details on Artan's file. The decision is being seen as the first high-profile exclusion since enhanced screening was extended to nationals of nine African countries.
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