Somali international referee Omar Artan has returned home to a hero’s welcome after being banned from entering the United States.
He was due to officiate at matches during the FIFA World Cup but was turned away at the border in Miami over the weekend, despite having a valid visa.
FIFA subsequently cut him from the tournament's referee list. His exclusion has sparked outrage across the world.
As Artan disembarked in Mogadishu, supporters waving Somali flags crowded around him before draping him in the flag.
He was set to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament.
