Somali football referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has returned to Mogadishu after being denied entry to the United States ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Multiple outlets report that he arrives back in Somalia and is greeted at the airport by large numbers of supporters and Somali government officials, with the reception described as a “hero’s welcome.”
The reports say Artan was held at a U.S. border point for several hours before being turned back, and that his denial of entry was linked by U.S. officials to concerns raised during screening. After his return, Artan is widely portrayed in Somalia as a prominent referee and is said to be admired at home, with some coverage describing him as expected to make history as a possible first Somali to officiate at a World Cup.
Several sources add that Artan vows to return to World Cup officiating in the future, including mention of a potential comeback at a later tournament. The overall accounts agree on his return to Mogadishu, the public reception, and that he was prevented from entering the U.S. for World Cup-related travel.
