A Somali soccer referee who was due to become the first from his country to officiate the World Cup but was denied entry to the United States was named Africa’s best referee and is considered a hero to many in his country.
Omar Artan, 34, was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament, bringing years of experience and hard work to soccer’s biggest stage. Artan’s anticipated feat brought hope to many in the country of about 19 million people, which is on the path of recovery after decades of instability and civil war.
The refusal to allow entry by Artan, who was scheduled to join other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami, was an unprecedented move in modern soccer history by a host country. The U.S. is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico
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