Ivory Coast striker Elie Wahi has been denied entry into Canada ahead of the “Elephants'” World Cup match against Germany in Toronto on Saturday due to match-fixing allegations.
Wahi, who is under contract at German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt but was on loan at French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice last season, is currently being investigated by authorities in Marseille in relation to allegations of “organized fraud, organized sporting corruption, dealing with the proceeds of crime and money laundering”. the new York Times (NYT).
Ivory Coast: What is Elie Wahi accused of doing?
The allegations relate specifically to the Ligue 1 match between Nice and FC Metz (0-0) on May 17, in which the 23-year-old player is accused of deliberately receiving a yellow card.
In a statement, the French Football League (LFP) said they were made aware of “an unusual amount of betting related to a booking involving the player Elie Wahi”.
According to the NYT, Wahi was arrested by French police on May 29 – just hours after scoring two goals in a play-off win against AS Saint-Étienne that kept Nice in Ligue 1 – But he was released without charge as the investigation continued.
Having not been charged with any crime, Wahi’s entry into the United States, where Ivory Coast is based and where Wahi played in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia, was considered unproblematic.
Elie Wahi: Ivorian Federation expresses support
But Canadian authorities have taken a tougher stance, with the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirming on Thursday that “the necessary administrative authorities” [Wahi’s] “Entry into Canadian territory cannot be obtained at this stage.”
He said Wahi “will remain in the United States until the team’s return” ahead of Ivory Coast’s third Group E game against Curacao in Philadelphia on Thursday.
“At this particularly delicate time, FIF offers its full support to the player and reiterates its confidence in him,” the statement concluded. Elie Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team.
Canada: Ghana’s party also denied entry
Wahi is not the first player to be denied entry to Canada due to an ongoing investigation abroad.
Last week, Ghanaian Thomas Partey was denied a Canadian visa due to allegations of rape and sexual abuse in the United Kingdom, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Wahi was born in Paris and represented France at youth level before playing for Ivory Coast. He has since made three appearances for the “Elephants”.
The allegations could also impact Eintracht Frankfurt, who will be hoping to sell Wahi to raise funds for the permanent signing of French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo from Nottingham Forest, following a season-long loan to Nice and the World Cup.