Ivory Coast's Elye Wahi Denied Canada Entry for World Cup Game as 23-Year-Old Faces Spot-Fixing Probe
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 18
Ivory Coast's Elye Wahi Denied Canada Entry for World Cup Game as 23-Year-Old Faces Spot-Fixing Probe
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 18
Summary
Canada blocked Elye Wahi from joining Ivory Coast for Saturday's World Cup match against Germany in Toronto, leaving the 23-year-old forward in the United States after he played in the 1-0 win over Ecuador.
French authorities are investigating allegations that Wahi deliberately took a yellow card for Nice against Metz in May, a booking that triggered a suspension for the first leg of Nice's relegation playoff.
Marseille prosecutors said a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested last month in a probe covering organized fraud, sports corruption, handling criminal proceeds and money laundering, then released after questioning.
The French league said it had been alerted to unusually heavy betting on a caution involving Wahi, but has not opened disciplinary proceedings while the police investigation continues.
Ivory Coast's federation said it had received no official notice of proceedings and backed Wahi, who is the second World Cup player denied entry to Canada after Ghana's Thomas Partey.