00:01Somali football referee Omar Artan has returned to his homeland where he was given a hero's welcome back in the
00:07capital Mogadishu.
00:09His return comes after a dramatic 48 hours which saw the FIFA officiating member get barred from entering the United
00:16States just days before the World Cup is set to kick off.
00:20Artan was set to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate a World Cup, having made FIFA's final list
00:26for the tournament after being named the continent's best referee in 2025.
00:31He was denied entry at Miami International Airport over what U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement
00:38without elaborating were, quote, betting concerns.
00:41The U.S. decision to bar him entry has drawn widespread condemnation around the world, with many questioning the country's
00:49capacity to host an international event of this magnitude.
00:53Critics accused the Trump administration of politicizing the tournament after several situations were revealed of improper conduct with nationals of
01:01certain countries.
01:02An Iraqi national team player was questioned for seven hours, visas were denied to over a dozen Iranian staff members,
01:10and the Senegalese team was subjected to a frisk search upon disembarking their plane.
01:15Still, Artan kept his spirits high, speaking to reporters, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and promised to attend
01:23the next World Cup in 2030.
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