World Cup: Ivory Coast's Elye Wahi denied entry to Canada

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Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada ahead of the "Elephants'" World Cup game 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 connection to allegations of "organized fraud, organized sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering," according to a statement provided to The New York Times (NYT).

Ivory Coast: What is Elye Wahi alleged to have done?

The allegations concern in particular a Ligue 1 fixture between Nice and FC Metz (0-0) on May 17 in which the 23-year-old is alleged to have intentionally picked up a yellow card.

In a statement, the French Football League (LFP) said they had been made aware of "an unusual volume of bets relating to a booking involving the player Elye Wahi."

According to the NYT, Wahi was arrested on by French police on May 29 – just hours after scoring two goals in a play-off win against AS St. Etienne, which kept Nice in Ligue 1 – but was released without charge as investigations continued.

Having not been charged with a crime, Wahi's entry into the United States, where Ivory Coast are based and where Wahi started in a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Sunday, was deemed unproblematic.

Elye Wahi: Ivorian federation express support

But Canadian authorities have taken a stricter line, with the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirming on Thursday that the "necessary administrative authorization for [Wahi's] entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage."

They said Wahi would therefore "remain in the United States pending the team's return" ahead of Ivory Coast's third Group E game against Curacao in Philadelphia on Thursday.

"At this particularly delicate time, the FIF extends its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him," concluded the statement, adding that "Elye Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team."

Canada: Ghana's Partey also denied entry

Wahi is not the first player to be denied entry to Canada due to ongoing investigations abroad.

Last week, Ghana's Thomas Partey was refused a Canadian visa due to rape and sexual abuse charges in the United Kingdom, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Wahi was born in Paris and represented France at youth level before opting to play for Ivory Coast. He has since made three appearances for the Elephants.

The allegations could also have ramifications for Eintracht Frankfurt who, following the season-long loan to Nice and the World Cup, would have been hoping to sell Wahi in order to fund the permanent signing of French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo from Nottingham Forest.