Somali referee Omar Artan will receive his full World Cup remuneration from FIFA despite being denied entry into the United States to officiate at the tournament.
Artan was detained and questioned for 11 hours by US immigration officials at Miami International Airport on Monday before being informed that he would not be allowed into the country. Authorities subsequently rejected his diplomatic passport and single-entry US visa.
A US government official said the decision was based on Artan's alleged "association with suspected members of terrorist organisations."
However, Artan strongly denied any links to extremist groups. He revealed that immigration officers questioned him about his alleged connections to the Somali militant group Al Shabab, but insisted he had no knowledge of or involvement with the organisation.
"I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," Artan said.
"I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup."
After being placed on a return flight to Turkey, Artan received assistance from FIFA officials in Istanbul before continuing his journey to Mogadishu, the Somali capital.
Although he will play no role in the tournament, sources told BBC Sport that FIFA has committed to paying Artan his full World Cup fee.
Referees are not informed of their exact World Cup earnings in advance, as tournament payments are typically calculated and distributed after the competition concludes.
The decision ensures Artan will not suffer financially after missing the opportunity to officiate on football's biggest stage.
