Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali soccer referee who was denied permission to enter the U.S. to participate in the World Cup, received a hero’s welcome from a cheering crowd at the airport upon his return to his home country. nyti.ms/4ohh6ZU
Video
The New York Times
For Saikou and his friends, the 2022 World Cup is not over. The Fifa circus has noved elsewhere, but the struggle and the suffering go on for them. Forgetting them is betraying them.
"Sometimes it is good to just chill and relax" - Infantino talking about criticism of Omar Artan's visa denial - might end up being the quote of this press conference.
He's right that FIFA doesn't control everything. But it has failed to stand up for rights and inclusion, time and again.
Infantino begins the pre-World Cup press conference calling for the release of French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes - unjustly detained in Algeria.
@rsf.org has been doggedly campaigning with @sportrightsall.bsky.social for his release.
rsf.org/en/fifa-worl...