A Somali referee who was stopped from entering America for the World Cup has now been chosen to handle the big UEFA Super Cup match. Omar Artan, 34 years old, was supposed to officiate at the tournament in North America this summer but things went sour at Miami International Airport on Saturday. The Trump administration said he had links with people suspected to be terrorists, and that is why they barred him.
Artan was among 52 referees picked by FIFA for the World Cup event. But American border officials sent him back to Istanbul, and from there he travelled to Somalia. When he reached home, the people gave him a hero's welcome. They were proud of him despite the trouble in America.
Now UEFA has come through for him. The European body announced on Thursday that Artan will referee the Super Cup match between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League champions Aston Villa. The game will be played on August 12 in Salzburg, Austria, and it marks the real start of the European football season.
In their statement, UEFA described Artan as one of the best referees in the world. They also admitted that he missed the North American tournament because he was not allowed to enter the United States. For many football fans in Kenya and across Africa, this is a sweet turn of events. One door closed in America, but another bigger one opened in Europe.
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