On Wednesday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino referred to the situation involving Somali World Cup official Omar Artan, who was denied access to the United States, as "regrettable."
"It's also regrettable what occurred to... Omar, the official from Somalia. However, once more, we can't control everything," Infantino stated during a news briefing on the day before the competition.
"We consistently strive to discover resolutions, yet we must acknowledge that we do not hold dominion over nations or their governing bodies and law enforcement agencies; we are merely a sporting entity," he further stated.
Artan, who was selected as Africa's best male referee last year, stated he possessed the proper visa to enter the United States, yet he was denied entry at Miami International Airport and subsequently boarded a plane back to Turkey over the weekend.
A representative from the U.S. State Department stated that the referee had "ties to individuals believed to be affiliated with terrorist groups," which led to "the traveler being deemed not eligible for entry into the United States."
Artan could have become the initial referee from Somalia to serve in a World Cup final tournament.
Infantino was questioned by a UK journalist about whether FIFA had "lost control" of its competition due to the situation involving Artan and Washington's choice to deny visas to 15 individuals from Iran's team support crew.
"In 2035, I believe, we hope, the Women's World Cup will take place in the UK. Do you think it would be acceptable for FIFA to tell the British government who should be allowed entry into the country and who shouldn't? I'm not sure, perhaps you see it as normal?" Infantino questioned.
Infantino urged the press to "take it easy" – adding afterward that he didn't intend to suggest that FIFA wasn't taking action regarding matters like visas.
"When I say relax, I don't mean to sit around doing nothing. I mean we're still putting in work," he stated.
In our society, safety takes precedence over all else.
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