America blocks African referee despite FIFA directive

The American authorities prevented Somali referee Omar Artan, who was appointed by FIFA to officiate World Cup matches, from entering the United States after his arrest at Miami International Airport, where he was deported to Istanbul. Artan had obtained a diplomatic passport from Kenya, but he was deported according to U.S. authorities because they considered his passport insufficient, amid travel restrictions on Somalis imposed by the United States. Omar Artan is the first Somali referee to participate in the World Cup.

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