Andrew Giuliani, who is in charge of the White House’s World Cup task force, told the BBC that “while I can’t go into the derog [derogatory information] on that, I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision.”
FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, have endured massive criticism over the referee’s rejection, with the fallout overshadowing much of the tournament’s kick-off week and casting a harsh spotlight on the border policies of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a statement, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “Omar Artan is an excellent young but already experienced referee, who has proven himself at the highest competition level of the Confederation of African Football. Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination.”