Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi can now travel to Canada. He will join his team for their World Cup match against Germany. The Ivorian football federation confirmed this news.
On Friday, ESPN reported that the federation had earlier said Wahi could not travel. But later, they announced that the necessary permissions had been granted.
PUNCH Online shared a report from Athletic on Thursday. They stated that French police arrested Wahi in May. This was part of an ongoing investigation into possible spot-fixing.
Wahi played in Monday’s game, where Ivory Coast won 1-0 against Ecuador in Philadelphia.
The Elephants will face Germany on Saturday in Toronto. This is their second match in the tournament.
Taous Ait, who speaks for Canada’s immigration minister, did not comment on Wahi's situation. She said they needed permission from Wahi himself to discuss it.
In the investigation, the French soccer league said on Wednesday that there were too many bets placed on Wahi getting a yellow card. This incident happened during a match on May 17 while he was playing for OGC Nice.
The league was warned by betting partners about strange activities during Nice’s home match against Metz. That match ended in a 0-0 draw, and Wahi received a yellow card.
The league shared this information with the police, gambling regulators, and the French soccer federation.
When asked if Wahi had been questioned by police, the Marseille prosecutor’s office responded. They said, "a 23-year-old professional football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on May 29, 2026, as part of their investigation."
They added, “the investigation concerns alleged offences of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering.” Wahi was questioned while in custody but was later released.
Wahi's representatives did not reply to requests for comments right away.
The Ivorian football federation stated they have not received formal notice of any legal actions concerning Wahi. They expressed their complete support for him and said they believe in him.
The federation also said, “Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team.”
Wahi joined OGC Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. He scored nine goals in 18 matches in all competitions and helped the club reach the French Cup final.
The French league season ended on May 17. Wahi later scored twice in two weeks, helping Nice stay in the top league with a 4-1 win over AS Saint-Étienne in the promotion-relegation playoffs.
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