Sports
Trump administration: Somali ref suspected of terrorism link
Jun 10, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; A general view of Seattle Stadium during a media tour ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Blake Dahlin-Imagn Images The Somali referee headed to the World Cup then turned away was denied entry into the United States over a possible tie to terrorism, a Trump administration official claimed to Fox News.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, made it to Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul on Saturday but was refused entrance into the country by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
“Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA),” the statement read, Fox News reported Wednesday.
“The traveler was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA. President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country – full stop.”
Artan was named 2025 Male Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football and would have been the first-ever Somali referee to take charge of a match at the World Cup.
Fox reported Artan had been issued a visa to enter the United States last week, citing the Somalia Embassy in Kenya that processed it.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Canada's Ismael Kone (fever) misses training session
Jun 1, 2026; Edmonton, Ontario, CAN; Team Canada midfielder Ismael Kone (8) is tackled by Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov (2) during there first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images Canada midfielder Ismael Kone did not train with the team on Wednesday due to a fever, TSN reported.
Kone, 23, was wearing full gear before getting into a car and leaving practice on Wednesday, two days before the club is set to play its opening match of the World Cup.
Star defenders Moise Bombito (leg) and Alphonso Davies (hamstring) participated in the light training session.
The Canadians have until 3 p.m. ET on Thursday to adjust their roster.
They will compete in Group B and play their World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on Friday. They also will meet Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24, with both matches in Vancouver.
Canada’s World Cup expectations were heightened by a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Copa America, the best performance of the six CONCACAF guest sides.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Elbow surgery to cost Phillies OF Johan Rojas rest of season
Jul 23, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas (23) hits an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox in the eleventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas will not return from suspension after all with the club ruling him out for the remainder of the season on Wednesday to undergo elbow surgery.
Rojas was handed an 80-game suspension in March that began at the start of the regular season after he was determined to have violated the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.
Wednesday’s Phillies game against the Toronto Blue Jays was the 68th game of the suspension.
As Rojas increased baseball activities in anticipation of his return, right elbow discomfort led to imaging that revealed a UCL tear. Surgery is scheduled for the coming weeks with the 25-year-old expected to be at full strength for the start of spring training next season.
Rojas appeared in 71 games for the Phillies in 2025 and batted .224 with one home run, 18 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. In 250 career games over three seasons, all in Philadelphia, Rojas has amassed six homers, 73 RBIs and 51 stolen bases while batting .252.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alex de Minaur notches victory at ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Mar 2, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Alex de Minaur (AUS) during a practice session for the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Second-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia recorded 27 winners against 17 unforced errors while notching a 7-6 (8), 7-5 victory over Martin Damm in the second round of the Libema Open at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
With a 7-6 advantage in aces, de Minaur also had just one double fault compared to four for his opponent. Damm committed 44 unforced errors to go with 28 winners and stayed in the match by saving 11 of 14 break points.
No. 6 Tallon Griekspoor notched a 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-4 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp in an all-Dutch affair that that was suspended Tuesday and finished Wednesday. Australia qualifier James McCabe knocked off No. 8 Zizou Bergs of Belgium 6-7 (2), 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Others winners were Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak and Thijs Boogaard of Netherlands.
BOSS Open
Third-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan had a 22-17 edge in aces while outlasting Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 in the second round at Stuttgart.
Bublik had 38 winners and 22 unforced errors in a rematch of a first-round French Open match in which Struff prevailed in four sets. Struff had 37 winners and 29 unforced errors in the rematch.
In other matches, Italy’s Mattia Bellucci recorded a 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2 victory over Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, and France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard sailed to a 7-6 (1), 6-2 victory over Gauthier Onclin of Belgium.
–Field Level Media
Report: Canada's Ismael Kone (fever) misses training session
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