Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been cleared to enter Canada and will be available for his country’s crucial World Cup clash against Germany after initially being denied permission to travel.
The 23-year-old Nice forward had faced uncertainty over his participation in Saturday’s Group E match in Toronto after Canadian authorities delayed his entry while seeking further information regarding an ongoing investigation in France.
Wahi recently became the subject of an active probe into alleged spot-fixing during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz in May.
Spot-fixing involves deliberately influencing specific incidents during a game, such as bookings, corners or throw-ins, to benefit betting markets.
The Ivory Coast international has been accused of intentionally receiving a yellow card during Nice’s 0-0 draw against Metz on 17 May. The booking was his fifth of the season and resulted in a suspension for the first leg of Nice’s relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne.
French authorities arrested Wahi on 29 May as part of an investigation into allegations of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling the proceeds of crime and money laundering. He was later released after being questioned and has not been charged with any offence.
The Marseille public prosecutor’s office confirmed a 23-year-old Ligue 1 footballer had been arrested as part of the investigation, although officials did not publicly identify the player.
On Wednesday, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) revealed it had been alerted to an unusually high volume of bets relating to Wahi receiving a yellow card during the Metz fixture.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) initially confirmed that Wahi had been unable to obtain the necessary authorisation to enter Canada and would remain in the United States while the matter was being reviewed.
However, the situation changed later on Thursday after Canadian authorities approved his entry.
“The necessary authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory have now been obtained,” the FIF said in a statement.
“As a result, the Ivorian international is authorised to travel with the Elephants’ delegation to Canada and will continue his participation in the competition alongside his team-mates as normal.
“The FIF welcomes this positive outcome and thanks the various parties who contributed to handling this matter.”
According to reports, Canadian officials requested additional details about Wahi’s legal situation before eventually granting him permission to travel.
Canada’s immigration department reiterated that all visitors are assessed individually under existing immigration laws, regardless of major sporting events taking place in the country.
A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said that hosting international tournaments does not alter Canadian immigration rules and that each case is assessed on its own merits.
The spokesperson added that temporary resident permits can be granted in exceptional circumstances to individuals who would otherwise face entry restrictions.
The development means Wahi will now be available for Ivory Coast’s second World Cup group match against Germany in Toronto.
The striker started Ivory Coast’s opening 1-0 victory over Ecuador and came close to scoring after striking the crossbar before being substituted.
Wahi switched international allegiance from France to Ivory Coast earlier this year and has quickly become an important part of the Elephants’ squad.
The investigation in France remains ongoing, with the LFP confirming no disciplinary proceedings have yet been launched while police inquiries continue.
Following the Germany match, Ivory Coast will conclude their group-stage campaign against Curacao in Philadelphia next week.
Wahi’s case follows another high-profile World Cup visa controversy involving Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who was denied entry into Canada because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom and missed Ghana’s victory over Panama.
