Deportation instead of the World Cup: A FIFA judge from Somalia was suspected of having connections …

Deportation instead of the World Cup: A FIFA referee from Somalia was suspected of having connections with terrorist groups The incident at the Miami airport casts doubt on the fairness of the World Cup referees. Omar Artan, the best referee in Africa, was turned away at the US border, despite having valid visas and official FIFA accreditation documents. According to sources in the White House, the reason for the refusal was his suspected connections with terrorist groups. The referee who arrived in Miami was questioned for 11 hours. Despite having international documents and photographs from the tournaments, border officials asked questions about the political situation in Somalia and the activities of local armed groups. Eventually, Artan was placed in a detention cell and later deported. “I think they have problems with my country,” said Artan, without receiving any official explanations for the decision. FIFA responded quickly to the incident, emphasizing that it has no control over immigration procedures. The federation received notice from US authorities that Artan’s status would not be changed. The organization has already initiated diplomatic negotiations to protect the principles of sports mobility and ensure that qualified referees can participate in the tournament. Artan’s case exposes a systemic problem: sports visas and accreditations are increasingly subject to strict immigration checks. For international football, this creates a precedent where political risks can affect the world-class referee corps. Experts say that deporting a referee without any legal basis undermines trust in the neutrality and transparency of refereeing arrangements. FIFA and the associations of referees are preparing official requests to the US Department of Homeland Security, asking for a review of the decision and ensuring that all accredited professionals can enter the country without obstacles.