A Somali soccer referee denied entry into the U.S. has returned home to a hero’s welcome.
Omar Artan, 34, would have been the first Somali to officiate in a World Cup but was denied entry at Miami International Airport amid President Trump’s far-reaching travel bans and was soon scratched from FIFA’s list.
Now Artan—who was named Africa’s best referee last year—has returned to Somalia to crowds bursting with adoration, bringing with him a message of hope and ambition for the nation’s youth.
In a statement, Customs and Border Protection said that he had been denied entry due to unspecified “vetting concerns,” the Associated Press reports.
But the denial of entry to a FIFA match official has caused outrage and confusion, with the Somali Embassy in Kenya saying the U.S. had granted Artan a visa.
White House FIFA Task Force director Andrew Giuliani—son of Rudy Giuliani—on Tuesday said that Artan was turned back at Miami International Airport for “very good reason.”
One government official said that the denial was made due to “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”
Upon his arrival in Somalia, Artan maintained a message of optimism and gratitude.
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said in front of a crowd of Somali flags and supporters following his arrival at Aden Adde International Airport, according to AP. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
He was greeted by Somalia’s Minister for Youth and Sports.
“It is up to all of us to defend the Somali name,” Artan continued. “Somalia belongs to us, whether it is in a bad state or a good state. That flag belongs to us, and that passport belongs to us.”
Trump’s World Cup has already seen the U.S. suffer embarrassment and setbacks as the eyes of the world turn to it for the world’s favorite’s sport’s most prestigious tournament.
Fans from countries with access to the Visa Waiver system—among them many of the U.S.’s closest allies—have run into trouble with their ESTA applications.
Anecdotal reports indicate that Scotland fans have noticed their ESTAs reverting to pending despite already being approved, WBZ TV News reports.
Meanwhile, Iraqi fans have struggled to access consular services for entry to the U.S. after the war with Iran led to heightened security restrictions in the Middle East, despite Iraq not being on Trump’s travel ban list.
Around 40 countries are on the list, with the vast majority of those on the “full suspension” list in Africa. There is a record 10 African countries taking part in the World Cup: Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.
U.S. officials are also concerned about possible Ebola cases being brought into the U.S. from the continent. A senior government official was cited by Axios as saying that the government plans to blame Europe and the World Health Organization if any cases of Ebola arrive in the U.S. during the tournament.
Meanwhile, Trump, who has often banged on about crowd sizes, faces further embarrassment after analysis by the Financial Times found that almost 180,000 World Cup tickets remain unsold.
