A senior White House official has strongly defended the decision to bar Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the United States for the World Cup, insisting authorities made the correct call based on information reviewed by security agencies.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, described Artan as a “bad actor” and claimed the referee had recently been communicating with individuals linked to activities that raised serious concerns for US authorities.
Speaking in an interview with talkSPORT, Giuliani said he supported the decision taken by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to deny Artan entry into the country.
“There are some things that we can’t talk about,” Giuliani said.
“What I can tell you, from looking at it, is that he’s the only referee, he’s the only non-Irani official, that has been banned from coming into the country for this tournament.
“He was talking to some bad people, very recently, about actions here in the United States.”
Giuliani declined to provide further details but said he stood firmly behind the decision.
Asked whether the allegations involved possible links to terrorism, Giuliani avoided a direct answer but reiterated his support for the actions taken by border officials.
“What I’ll say is, from my seat, it was absolutely the right decision and I stand by it,” he added.
The controversy has overshadowed what was expected to be a landmark moment in Artan’s career.
The Somali official had been selected as one of seven referees representing the Confederation of African Football at the World Cup and was set to become the first referee from Somalia to officiate at football’s biggest tournament.
However, his journey ended abruptly after arriving at Miami International Airport.
Reports indicate Artan underwent an extensive immigration interview lasting around 11 hours before being detained for several more hours and ultimately placed on a return flight to Istanbul.
FIFA later confirmed it would not intervene to overturn the decision, ending any hopes of Artan participating in the tournament.
Artan has consistently maintained his innocence.
The referee previously stated that he held a valid visa and all the required travel documents and said he was simply attempting to fulfil a lifelong ambition of officiating at the World Cup.
Despite the setback, Artan received a warm reception upon returning to Somalia and has since received significant support from across the football world.
In a major boost to his career, UEFA recently appointed him to referee the upcoming Super Cup between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin praised Artan’s credentials, describing him as an outstanding referee who had earned recognition through his performances at the highest level of African football.
The appointment was widely viewed as a vote of confidence in the Somali official following the disappointment of missing the World Cup.
While questions remain about the reasons behind the US government’s decision, the controversy continues to generate debate as Artan prepares for one of the biggest matches of his career.
