Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada for his country’s World Cup group game against Germany on Saturday, becoming the second player after Ghana’s Thomas Partey to be refused entry due to alleged unresolved criminal cases.
Wahi is alleged to be involved in match-fixing practices, including deliberately picking up a fifth booking in a league match, which earned him a suspension for the first leg of Nice’s relegation play-off against Saint-Étienne on 26 May.
That match ended in a 0–0 draw, but Wahi returned for the second leg, where he scored twice in a 4–1 victory to help Nice retain their top-flight status.
The Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) on Thursday said it had not been informed of any “judicial or administrative proceedings” against Wahi, but confirmed that he had not been able to obtain authorisation to enter Canada.
“The FIF also informs that the player will not be able to join the delegation’s trip to Canada. Indeed, the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage,” the statement read.
“Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States pending the team’s return.”
After facing Germany in Toronto, Ivory Coast will then play Curaçao in Philadelphia next Thursday.
The 23-year-old Wahi, who started Sunday’s World Cup win over Ecuador, has been accused of deliberately earning a yellow card while playing for Nice against Metz in May. He was also arrested last month before the tournament over alleged involvement in spot-fixing in Ligue 1.
Spot-fixing is the practice of deliberately influencing specific events within a match to enable betting gains.
A statement from the Marseille public prosecutor’s office said the arrest was made “as part of an investigation opened into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering.”
The player was released after questioning in police custody, with investigations still ongoing, officials added.