UMVA has learned that a soccer referee from Somalia, Omar Artan, was denied entry to the United States to work at the World Cup in Toronto, allegedly due to "association with suspected members of terror organizations."
The shocking decision has sparked outrage, with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemning the move, saying that Artan "has earned his place on the world stage through hard work and perseverance." Chow emphasized that Toronto believes in fairness, inclusion, and giving talent the opportunity to shine.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Artan's social media accounts have been scrutinized, with one account bearing his name featuring repeated criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump and a remark that appears to refer to Jews as "blood suckers." However, the accuracy of a machine translation of the post could not be confirmed.
Artan had been set to become the first referee from Somalia to work a World Cup game before he was turned away on June 6 upon arrival in Miami. Chow has reportedly written to FIFA to let them know that Artan is welcome to referee in Toronto.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada insisted that safety and security during the World Cup is paramount, but would not comment on Artan's individual situation. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson stated that Artan "was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry," but did not specify the nature of those concerns.
Photos show Artan returning to the Somali capital of Mogadishu, where he was celebrated as a hero. On a verified Facebook account, Artan said he's "in a positive mood and … focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career."
An investigation by UMVA has uncovered that Artan's social media accounts have been active for years, with posts about refereeing soccer and what appear to be photos of Artan. One account, however, featured alarming posts, including criticism of Trump and a post that seemed to refer to Jews in a derogatory manner.
The account also featured a post that tagged a BBC Somali account, with a comment that appeared to be about Jews cheating Muslims and Arabs. The accuracy of the translation could not be confirmed, but the post was later removed, with a note stating that it "violated the X rules."
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Artan's case has sparked a heated debate about fairness, inclusion, and the vetting process for international visitors. As the World Cup approaches, the incident has raised questions about the intersection of sports, politics, and security.
