The 23-year-old Ivorian striker was initially denied a visa due to an ongoing investigation into possible match-fixing. After further clarification, the Canadian authorities have turned around – and now he is allowed to enter.
Elye Wahi will thus play Germany – and that is not exactly a matter of course. The striker, who last played for Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, has been given the green light to travel to Canada for the Group E match in Toronto on Saturday night at 22:00 Norwegian time.
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The background: Wahi was initially denied entry due to a French investigation into suspicious bets related to a yellow card he received in the match between Nice and Reims on May 17. The French league reacted to an unusually high number of bets on that particular card, alerting the authorities.
According to The Athletic , Wahi was arrested on May 29 in France, and later released. He is now being investigated by the prosecutor’s office in Marseille on suspicion of sports fraud, corruption, receiving stolen goods and money laundering. The prosecution confirmed the arrest, but after questioning he was released without custody.
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His lawyers appealed the visa denial and were able to document that there are currently no formal charges or legal impediments against him. This made the Canadian authorities change their minds.
Wahi started Ivory Coast’s first game against Ecuador, hit the crossbar and scored well in a game his team won 1-0. Then came the news of the investigation – and the abrupt stop for the trip to Canada.
The Ivorian Football Association reacted strongly to Canada’s handling of the case, but in the end the message they were waiting for came.
Now Germany awaits in Toronto. Then Ivory Coast travels on to Philadelphia in the United States, where Wahi has so far had no legal problems.
For Wahi, the case is far more fortunate than for Ghana’s Thomas Partey. The Villarreal midfielder, a former Arsenal player, was denied entry by Canada and thus could not play against Panama on June 17 in Toronto. Partey is still awaiting trial in London after accusations of sexual assault and rape – in seven cases. He has always denied all charges.
Wahi on the other hand – he’s ready. And Ivory Coast needs him against Germany.
