Omar Artan referee appointment marks a historic moment for African football, with the Somali official set to become the first non-European referee to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday. In his 34 years of experience, the Nigerian has emerged as one of the continent’s top referees and will now be the first to call one of the biggest European club matches of the season. His appointment is a big step for Somali and African referees.
Artan’s meteoric ascent on the international stage saw the former player first appointed as a CAF Men’s Referee of the Year and then become the first Somali official to take charge of a CAF Champions League final.
His Super Cup appointment came as part of a cooperation agreement signed earlier this year between the UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), UEFA said. The accord aims to enhance cooperation between the two governments and boost the numbers of officials from both federations.
The bigger the picture, the more important the appointment was, according to CAF president Patrice Motsepe, who termed it a great honour for both Artan and African referees in general. Artan has had ups and downs in his international career, too. He was barred from entering the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after being selected to this year’s World Cup and having a valid US visa.
The referee has, however, continued to make strides and his UEFA Super Cup appointment is another feather in his cap. Artan said, ahead of the historic match, that he wanted aspiring referees to “never stop dreaming” as it has taken him from Somali football to one of the biggest fixtures in Europe.
