Johannesburg, South Africa — Ivory Coast’s football star Elye Wahi has been granted a Canadian visa, allowing him to travel to Toronto and participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Germany, following a visa denial earlier this week.
The initial visa denial was due to an ongoing investigation into Wahi’s alleged involvement in spot-fixing in the French Ligue 1, where authorities detected unusual betting patterns around a yellow card Wahi received in a match. Last month, the 23-year-old forward was taken into custody as part of an investigation into organized fraud, organized sport corruption, handling stolen goods, and money laundering. Wahi was questioned by authorities but later released without being charged, according to his lawyer, Marie Dose.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) expressed its full confidence in Wahi, stating that it had not been officially notified of any legal or administrative proceedings concerning him.
The visa reversal has sparked debate about the handling of such cases and the potential impact on athletes involved in ongoing legal investigations.
As Wahi and the Ivory Coast national team prepare for the crucial match against Germany, the focus will be on the field, but the Wahi case serves as a reminder of the broader challenges athletes face in navigating their professional and legal lives.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: aljazeera
Source: AFP and Reuters
