Elye Wahi, the Côte d'Ivoire striker under investigation for alleged match-fixing, has been denied a visa to travel to Canada for his team's World Cup match against Germany, the Côte d'Ivoire football federation (FIF) announced on Thursday.
The FIF stated that Wahi could not join the squad for Saturday's game in Toronto because the necessary administrative authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage.
Wahi started for Côte d'Ivoire in their opening World Cup match against Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday, playing 56 minutes in a 1-0 victory. He will remain in the United States pending the team's return, according to the FIF.
The French football league reported on Wednesday that an unusual amount of bets were placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17. The league was alerted by partners monitoring betting markets about suspicious activity concerning the game, which ended 0-0 and in which Wahi was booked. The information was passed to relevant police and gambling authorities, as well as to the French football federation.
The Marseille prosecutor's office confirmed that a 23-year-old professional football player, competing in France's Ligue 1, was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation into alleged organised fraud, organised sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering. The player was questioned and released without being detained, and the investigation is ongoing.
Wahi's representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The FIF said it had not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings concerning Wahi. During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Côte d'Ivoire national team.
Wahi joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January and scored nine goals in 19 games, helping Nice reach the French Cup final.
