Omar Artan was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at the World Cup. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said he was denied entry at Miami International Airport over “vetting concerns.”

<p>The U.S. Customs and Border Protection denied entry on Friday to an Iraq national soccer team photographer and questioned a player for hours at O’Hare International Airport as the team arrived for an exhibition match this week ahead of the FIFA World Cup.</p><p>The two were pulled aside for “additional inspection” after Iraq’s national team flew from Dubai International Airport. The inspections were a “routine part of CBP's inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,” a customs spokesperson said.</p><p>Iraq’s national team photographer was denied entry because of “vetting concerns,” according to the customs spokesperson.