FOOTBALL – “Chill was Gianni Infantino’s message yesterday as the Fifa president sought to defuse concerns over visa issues that have clouded the buildup to the World Cup, saying soccer’s governing body could not dictate immigration decisions to host nations.
Speaking on the eve of the tournament opener between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, Infantino addressed concerns surrounding Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was barred from entering the US despite having a valid visa.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino told a press conference.
“We try, we’ll discuss, we’ll see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to chill, relax. We work on everything, we try to resolve everything.”
“We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organisation.”
The case has drawn attention to immigration challenges ahead of the June 11-July 19 tournament after US authorities said Artan was denied entry because of his links to “suspected members of terror organisations”.
Infantino said Fifa was continuing to work behind the scenes to resolve outstanding issues but stressed that immigration decisions ultimately rested with national authorities.
“We always try to find solutions,” he said.
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