Omar Artan is the No 1 African referee and was asked to officiate at the World Cup taking place in Canada, Mexico and the US. All of Omar's documentation was correct and in place but on arrival in the US he was held for a lengthy interrogation before being denied access to the US and being sent back home. Omar's crime? He is from Somalia, a country on Trump's banned from the US list. Some might say, fair enough, those are the rules. However, up steps Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House, World Cup, Task Force (only the Yanks could come up with this) and gave this statement. We're making sure that any bad actors who try to come into our country under the guise of the World Cup will not get access to the US You couldn't make it up!
He has only been refused entry to USA, he could still go to Canada and/or Mexico surely 🤷♀️
I’ve just seen on the news that England have had some of their kit stolen in the USA, including players boots. I hope anybody with lucky boots was carrying them in his hand luggage.
A player from Ghanaian has been refused entry into Canada no reason given so far, it's not just the US.
David49
A player from Ghanaian has been refused entry into Canada no reason given so far, it's not just the US.
They must have their reasons 🤷♀️
A reason was given David49.
‘Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.
He is due to stand trial next year.’
From BBC News.
Ghana
Casdon
They have lost the plot in the USA, they really have. I wonder if tattooing ‘I don’t want to seek asylum in the USA’ across their foreheads would help? Somebody tell me why a rich, famous and successful footballer would do that?
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn8qgny4186o
It's Canada that are refusing entry to Thomas Partey who I understand is in Boston. I think their grounds are a bit dodgy. Yes he is awaiting trial but he hasn't been convicted of anything. I didn't expect Canada to behave like USA and prejudge.
I'm afraid having so many charges pending is a it of a red flag I fear.
But nevertheless, even if the entry is for work purposes (as this was) having a pending charge for rape/sexual assault makes getting a Canadian work permit virtually impossible.
Canada’s border security and visa application systems do not lower their standards for economic reasons. Coming for work does not bypass criminal inadmissibility.
This charge is enough to keep people out.
Even one charge for serious crimes (which is how rape is seen in Canada) is enough to deny entry.
Oh I agree so many charges is a red flag, but red flags aren't convictions. I thought I'd read there had to be a conviction but obviously I was wrong. Anyway my post was initially because Casdon seemed to be saying that USA was keeping him out, and I was correcting that.
NotSpaghetti
Even one charge for serious crimes (which is how rape is seen in Canada) is enough to deny entry.
I'd hope rape is seen as a serious crime everywhere!
Well maybe it is - but it's Canada we are talking about. In Canada only "serious crimes" are on their no-entry list.
That was my point.
Apologies Rosie51, I had posted the wrong attachment, as evidenced by my discussion with David49 first thing this morning, I should have checked my post better yesterday. This was what I’d read earlier.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/which-world-cup-teams-players-and-officials-were-denied-us-visas-entry/ar-AA25lylJ
Casdon we've all done it, it's so easy when you've looked at several articles to inadvertently copy the wrong link. Your post makes perfect sense now 😊 And I should have read on further into the thread before I jumped in with both feet!
No words you can print apart from Shame on the Usa
The Ghanian is due in court to answer serious allegations of rape and confinement. It wasn’t without reason that Canada denied him entry. That information is widely available and reported on.
Perhaps where you live, accused rapists are allowed entry, but we in Canada tend to frown on that here. Does not matter if it is an accusation (actually multiple accusations) or a conviction. We also don’t worship football players here and give them visas that we wouldn’t give anyone else in the same situation. The US has a convicted sex pest as President. Perhaps they look at it differently.
Somalia is a country that holds cultural values that may be greatly at variance with US standards (and ours, for that matter) A sovereign state has the right to refuse entry to anyone who could pose problems. Pity we do not do it more often.
undines
Somalia is a country that holds cultural values that may be greatly at variance with US standards (and ours, for that matter) A sovereign state has the right to refuse entry to anyone who could pose problems. Pity we do not do it more often.
Probably best not to hold a World Cup then if you don’t like other cultures. Just saying.
Just read that FIFA will pay the referee who was sent home his full fee.
That's one good thing.
Funny how Tommy Robinson was allowed to enter the USA but this referee who is fully qualified was not!
The whole World Cup is a debacle and should never have been held in USA! So many have been denied entry at the last minute for no apparent reason! Plus the cost of everything has gone sky high ! Shameful !
The Iranian football team mounted a silent protest against the bombing of an Iranian school by US forces by holding children's backpacks and photos in their line up.
On a lighter note, following the match on Sunday where Australia beat Turkey, the fans were celebrating and chanting "Aussie fans are on a bender, Donald Trump's a sex offender." The Aussies face the USA in a match on Friday.
The England fans came up with a chant which went something like "He's fat, he's old and he's got piles. Donald's in the Epstein files." The rest of the chant is unrepeatable.
Teams have been advised not to politicise the World Cup. If Trump received similar advice he must have chosen to ignore it.
Trump is apparently going to be in the thick of the celebrations as the winners lift the World Cup, breaking previous FIFA protocol. Part of me hopes a country wins whose supporters the USA has prevented from entering the country to watch their team, aren’t I mean.
talksport.com/football/world-cup/4331981/donald-trump-break-fifa-protocol-gianni-infantino-trophy/
Casdon
Trump is apparently going to be in the thick of the celebrations as the winners lift the World Cup, breaking previous FIFA protocol. Part of me hopes a country wins whose supporters the USA has prevented from entering the country to watch their team, aren’t I mean.
talksport.com/football/world-cup/4331981/donald-trump-break-fifa-protocol-gianni-infantino-trophy/
Me too! If England or Scotland can't do it (and in my sane moments I know neither is likely to) then please could a team Trump would hate to win win it
From what I’ve seen so far I think there might be a few shock results in this World Cup. I’d love a team that Trump feels uncomfortable with to win it.
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