Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.
Artan was told he would not be allowed into the country after being denied his diplomatic passport and single-entry U.S. visa following an 11-hour interrogation by U.S. immigration authorities at Miami International Airport on Monday.
A U.S. government official said Artan was not allowed into the country due to suspicions that he had “associations with suspected terrorist organizations.”
Artan said he was questioned by border officials because of his links to the Somali militant group al-Shabaab and that he knew nothing about the group.
“I had the right documents and everything. I had the right visa,” Artan said.
“I’m just a referee trying to achieve the biggest dream of my life: playing in the World Cup.”
After boarding his flight back to Turkey, Artan received help from FIFA officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Sources told BBC Sport that FIFA has committed to paying Artan’s salary even if he does not participate in the World Cup.
Referees are unaware of the actual fees they will receive (paid after the end of the tournament) for refereeing the World Cup.
