Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi, aged 23, has been unable to enter Canada and will miss his team’s FIFA World Cup group-stage game against Germany in Toronto this Saturday. Wahi, a striker for Nice, was not able to obtain the necessary permissions to enter Canada and will stay in the United States. This development follows reports linking Wahi to an investigation in France regarding alleged spot-fixing in Ligue 1.
The allegations stem from a match between Nice and Metz in May, where Wahi is accused of intentionally receiving a yellow card. French prosecutors have confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested in connection with the investigation, although no official name has been disclosed. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) noted an unusually high number of bets placed on a booking involving Wahi.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) stated that it has not received any official notification of legal actions involving Wahi and expressed its support for the player. The FIF emphasized its backing for Wahi amidst the ongoing situation and highlighted his importance to the Ivory Coast national team. Due to the lack of administrative approvals for his entry into Canada, Wahi will remain in the United States until the team’s return.
Wahi is not the only World Cup player facing entry issues with Canada recently. Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey was also denied entry for Ghana’s initial group match against Panama, leading to a formal protest from the Ghanaian government. Ivory Coast is set to play against Germany in Toronto before heading back to the United States for their subsequent Group-stage encounter against Curacao in Philadelphia.
