Somali referee Omar Artan will reportedly receive his full World Cup match fee despite being denied entry into the United States, where he was scheduled to officiate at the tournament.
Artan, 34, was detained and questioned for about 11 hours by U.S. immigration officials after arriving at Miami International Airport on Monday, before being informed he would not be allowed into the country.
His diplomatic passport and single-entry U.S. visa were eventually rejected.
A U.S. government official said the decision was linked to an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.”
Artan, however, strongly denied the allegations, saying he was questioned about possible links to the Somali militant group Al Shabab.
“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” he said.
“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”
Following the decision, he was placed on a flight to Turkey, where FIFA officials assisted him during a transit stop before he was later returned to Mogadishu.
Despite not taking part in the tournament, sources told BBC Sport that FIFA has agreed to pay him the full amount he would have earned as a match official. Referees are typically not told their exact tournament fees in advance, with payments made after the competition ends.
The incident has not halted his career progression, as Artan has since been invited to officiate the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12.
After returning to Somalia, he received a warm reception and expressed appreciation for the support he received.
