TORONTO – The Mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, has said that Somali international referee Omar Artan will be warmly welcomed in the Canadian city after he was denied entry into the United States and sent back following detention at Miami airport.
Chow made the remarks in response to reports that Artan, one of Africa’s leading football referees, was prevented from entering the US where he had been due to take part in World Cup-related officiating assignments.
She said Toronto stands firmly for fairness and equal opportunity, adding that the city believes talented individuals should be given the chance to demonstrate their abilities regardless of background or nationality.
“Cumar Cartan aad ayaan ugu soo dhaweyn lahayn inuu garsoore ka noqdo magaaladeena,” Chow said, referring to Artan, using his Somali name and stating that she would be pleased to see him officiate in Toronto.
Chow also indicated that she plans to write to FIFA to formally communicate Toronto’s willingness to welcome the Somali referee and support his continued involvement in international football activities.
The statement comes after widespread discussion within football and political circles over Artan’s reported detention at Miami International Airport, where he was held for around 11 hours before being placed on a return flight to Istanbul.
Artan has said the incident destroyed what he called the “dream of my life,” insisting that he held valid travel documents and had been officially selected for the tournament-related refereeing program.
The intervention by Toronto’s mayor has added a new dimension to the case, with supporters saying it highlights Canada’s openness to international sports professionals, while others continue to question the circumstances surrounding his denied entry into the United States.
Neither US authorities nor FIFA have publicly commented in detail on the specific reasons for Artan’s removal from the travel process.
