I had a phone call with the Somali international referee, Omar Artan, who is unable to participate in officiating at the 2026 @FIFAcom World Cup, and I shared with him our feelings regarding the challenge he has faced. Omar is a symbol of our people and country's great potential
π¨π£οΈ π‘ππͺ: Micky van Ven: "If I can feel the World Cup vibes in the USA? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Last summer I went on vacation here, and the people didn't even know they were hosting a World Cup."
π¨ ππ₯πππππ‘π: Somali referee Omar Artan was questioned for 11 hours (!) before being denied entry.
βI am just a referee trying to live my biggest dream: going to the World Cup, I am really, really disappointed. I had the correct documents and the correct visa. I think they have a problem with my country.β
β @nytimes
Qatar said it doesnβt matter who you are or where you come from, you can come to the World Cup, just donβt drink alcohol at the stadium.
USA said you canβt come. Who you are or where you come from matters. Weβll decide who can and canβt participate. This isnβt a sport for everyone.
Hi darling @ToniKroos
You spent months criticizing Qatar and talking about every possible issue before and during the 2022 World Cup, yet it turned out to be one of the best-organized tournaments in history. Public transportation was free, fans could travel easily between stadiums some fans saw 4 matches in the stadium in same day, and the overall organization was praised by millions of visitors.
Now, when concerns are being raised about visa delays, strict entry procedures, and travel difficulties surrounding tournaments in the United States, we don't hear the same level of criticism from you. There have also been complaints about organizational decisions and match arrangements that many fans consider unnecessary or difficult, yet your voice is nowhere near as loud as it was when Qatar hosted the World Cup.
If your criticism is truly based on principles, then the same standards should apply to everyone. But when Qatar receives endless criticism while similar concerns elsewhere are met with silence, people are naturally going to question whether your issue was really about organization at all.
Fuck you.