Somali referee Omar Artan has broken his silence after being denied entry into the United States ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
In a statement on Tuesday, June 9, Artan said he was maintaining a positive outlook and looking ahead to future opportunities in football officiating.
"Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood, and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career," he stated.
The 34-year-old referee also thanked FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for standing by him during the difficult period.
"I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support, and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future," he added.
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Artan further expressed appreciation to football supporters and colleagues who sent messages of encouragement following the reports.
He wished the match officials selected for the tournament success and voiced hope of representing African refereeing on the global stage again in future competitions.
"I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions," he concluded.
This comes amid growing reports of World Cup participants facing heightened scrutiny when entering the United States.
In one of the most widely reported incidents, Iraqi national team striker Aymen Hussein was detained at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and questioned for several hours before eventually being allowed into the country.
However, Iraq's team photographer, Talal Salah, was reportedly denied entry after undergoing extensive screening by U.S. authorities.
Other national delegations have also reportedly encountered rigorous security procedures.
Reports indicate that members of the Senegal and Uzbekistan teams were subjected to enhanced checks, including extensive screening and inspections upon arrival.
Some accounts stated that Senegal's delegation underwent additional security screening immediately after landing, while Uzbekistan's delegation faced inspections involving sniffer dogs during preparations for the tournament.
Iran has also reportedly faced travel-related challenges, with several members of its World Cup delegation said to have been denied visas.
The incidents have drawn attention because FIFA had repeatedly assured participating nations that players, officials and team personnel would be able to travel smoothly for the tournament.
However, U.S. authorities have maintained that all travellers, including athletes, coaches, support staff and officials, remain subject to individual security screening and admissibility assessments upon arrival.
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