Somali ref Artan picked for showpiece UEFA game after being barred by US from World Cup

Somali referee Omar Artan who was barred by the United States from the World Cup was picked on Thursday for the showcase UEFA Super Cup game in August.

European soccer body UEFA said Artan will referee the Aug. 12 game between Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, the Europa League winner. The game will be in Salzburg, Austria.

Artan got a hero’s welcome returning to Somalia on Wednesday, days after he was refused entry in Miami by U.S. authorities despite being picked by FIFA for World Cup duty.

U.S. officials claimed Artan had connections to terror organizations, though without providing proof.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

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