MADRID, June 10 — UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday called on the United States to reconsider its immigration policies ahead of the World Cup.
Even before the tournament has kicked off, U.S. immigration issues have emerged as a major talking point following several controversial incidents involving the Iranian and Iraqi national teams, as well as the squads of Senegal and Uzbekistan.
Swiss striker Breel Embolo also reportedly experienced visa difficulties, while Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the United States in one of the highest-profile cases. Supporters and journalists have also reportedly encountered problems with U.S. immigration authorities.
Speaking in Geneva on Wednesday, Turk commented on the situation, saying: “I really hope that there’s a massive re-think of how immigration enforcement is impacting human rights and human dignity, and that especially for the World Cup, there is a re-think of the policies that we have unfortunately seen prevailing, especially in the US.”
Omar Artan has since returned to Somalia, where he received a hero’s welcome and said he “promised” to attend the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
