Washington, United States. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that football’s governing body was seeking solutions to visa issues ahead of the World Cup but could not override government decisions. He spoke on the eve of the tournament opener between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.
Referee case draws attention
Infantino addressed concerns over Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was barred from entering the United States despite holding a valid visa.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino told a press conference.
U.S. authorities said Artan was denied entry because of his links to “suspected members of terror organizations”.
FIFA response
Infantino said FIFA was continuing to work behind the scenes to resolve outstanding issues, while stressing that immigration decisions rested with national authorities.
“We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organisation,” he said.
“We always try to find solutions,” he said. “Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.”
Host nation concerns
Asked whether visa-related controversies had made him regret selecting the United States as one of the host nations, Infantino said he had no regrets.
“There are issues; it’s normal for an event of this magnitude,” he said. “Some come from the United States, some from Canada, some from Mexico. We deal with all of them.”
Broader context
The case has drawn attention to immigration challenges ahead of the June 11-July 19 tournament. Infantino also pointed to Iran’s participation in the tournament as evidence of FIFA’s efforts to navigate complex political circumstances.