The African Youth Sports Academy in Seattle returned 20 free World Cup tickets after Somali referee Omar Artan was barred from entering the U.S. for the tournament. The nonprofit, which had distributed about 400 tickets through its program, said the decision left them feeling heartbroken and betrayed.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and other community members expressed disappointment over the barring. The dispute centers on the U.S. government's visa denial for Artan, which prevented him from officiating at the World Cup.

This raises the question of whether the decision to bar the referee was justified or not.