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By Spy Uganda
Pan African Pyramid (PAP) has called for an official explanation from United States authorities following reports that Somali FIFA referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the country despite reportedly possessing a valid multiple-entry visa and diplomatic travel documentation.
The Pan-African organization described the reported incident as deeply concerning and warned that such actions risk reinforcing perceptions of unequal treatment toward Africans within international systems.
Speaking on the matter, PAP Founding Speaker and Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe said the case goes beyond one individual and touches on broader questions of dignity, fairness, and equal opportunity for Africans on the global stage.
“This is bigger than Omar Artan alone,” Irumba said. “When a qualified African professional selected to serve at an international sporting event is reportedly prevented from carrying out those duties despite meeting travel requirements, it raises legitimate concerns that deserve answers.”
Artan, a FIFA-certified referee from Somalia, has earned international recognition through his work officiating football matches across Africa and beyond. His appointment to major international competitions has been celebrated as a significant achievement for Somali sport and African football officiating.
Pan African Pyramid argued that international sport should remain a symbol of unity and inclusion, bringing together people from different nations and backgrounds under shared principles of fairness and respect.
“Sport is one of the few platforms that unites humanity beyond race, nationality, religion, and politics,” Irumba noted. “Any action that appears to exclude qualified participants based on where they come from undermines the very spirit that global sporting competitions are meant to represent.”
The organization also challenged what it described as inconsistencies between global commitments to human rights and the treatment of Africans in international spaces.
“The principles of equality and human dignity must apply to everyone,” Irumba said. “They cannot be selectively applied depending on nationality, passport, or place of birth. Africa’s professionals deserve the same respect and opportunities afforded to others.”
PAP has urged U.S. authorities to provide clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding the reported denial of entry and to ensure that future international sporting events remain free from practices that could be perceived as discriminatory.
The organization further called on African institutions, civil society groups, and sporting bodies to closely monitor the situation and advocate for fair treatment of African professionals participating in global events.
“As Africans, we must continue to speak out whenever there are concerns about unequal treatment of our people,” Irumba said. “Respect, dignity, and fairness are not privileges to be granted; they are rights that every human being deserves.”
The reported incident has sparked discussion among Pan-African activists and members of the African diaspora, many of whom view the matter as part of a wider conversation about mobility, representation, and equal treatment for Africans in international institutions.
At the time of publication, no official statement had been issued publicly regarding the reported circumstances surrounding Artan’s entry denial.
, https://www.spyuganda.com/an-injustice-against-one-african-is-an-injustice-against-all-pap-condemns-us-exclusion-of-somali-fifa-referee/
