Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan denied entry into the United States

A Somali referee chosen to officiate at the World Cup has been denied entry into the United States. Omar Artan was turned away by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon his arrival at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday.CBP confirmed on Monday that a Somali national who was planning to referee in the World Cup had been denied entry.Although the CBP statement on Monday did not explicitly name the individual, Artan is the sole World Cup referee representing Somalia.“Du