Ivory Coast's Wahi Barred From Canada Over Spot-Fixing Investigation

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada for his nation's World Cup match against Germany on Saturday in Toronto, the Ivorian Football Federation announced Thursday. The 23-year-old will remain in the United States pending the team's return, as the federation stated that "the necessary administrative authorizations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage." Wahi started in Ivory Coast's opening World Cup match, a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday.

The entry denial comes amid an active investigation by French authorities into alleged spot-fixing. French betting market monitors detected an unusual volume of international wagers placed on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17, which ended 0-0. Wahi was shown a yellow card in that game. The French league reported the suspicious betting activity to police, gambling authorities, and the French Football Federation. Spot-fixing refers to the illegal manipulation of specific match incidents for betting purposes, typically without affecting the overall outcome.

On May 29, Wahi was arrested and questioned by police in Marseille as part of the investigation into alleged organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering. He was released without being detained, and the investigation remains ongoing. The Marseille prosecutor's office confirmed these details, though Wahi's representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

The Ivory Coast Football Federation stated it has not been officially notified of any judicial or administrative proceedings against Wahi, adding in a statement that it "offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him." The federation did not indicate whether Wahi would be available for Ivory Coast's remaining group-stage matches. Wahi, who was born in France to Ivorian parents and switched allegiances to play for Ivory Coast in March, had been on loan at Nice from German club Eintracht Frankfurt since January, scoring nine goals in 18 appearances and helping the club reach the French Cup final.