US official claims banned referee had links with ‘terror organisations’

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States because of his “association with suspected members of terror organisations”, says a US official.

The 34-year-old – Africa’s referee of the year in 2025 – was set to be the first Somali to referee at a World Cup finals but was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Monday despite holding a diplomatic passport and…