Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi has been granted travel authorization to enter Canada for this weekend's World Cup clash with Germany, the country's football federation announced Thursday, just hours after revealing his visa had been denied.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed the reversal on its official X account, stating, "The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) reports that Elye Wahi's administrative situation has evolved favorably. The necessary authorisations for his entry into Canadian territory have now been obtained."
Wahi had been linked to an investigation into suspected match-fixing in French football. Authorities detected unusual betting patterns surrounding a yellow card he received while playing for Nice in a Ligue 1 match last month. Wahi was not immediately available for comment but has not been named as a suspect.
A spokesperson for the Marseille prosecutor's office said a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was taken into custody on May 29 as part of an investigation into organized fraud, organized sport corruption, handling stolen goods, and money laundering. Wahi's lawyer, Marie Dose, confirmed he was questioned for a few hours but released without charges.
"Elye Wahi is therefore not facing charges at this stage and is not subject to any judicial restrictions," Dose added.
The FIF expressed full confidence in Wahi, stating, "To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any legal or administrative proceedings concerning him. During this particularly difficult period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team."
Earlier, the FIF had announced that Wahi would not travel to Canada because required authorizations had not been obtained, leaving him to stay in the United States until the team returned. Wahi, who represented France at the under-21 level, made his senior international debut for Ivory Coast in March.
Ivory Coast opened their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, while Germany thrashed Curacao 7-1 in their first match. The visa issue echoes that of Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who missed his team's 1-0 victory over Panama after his appeal against a Canadian visa rejection was denied. Partey faces seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault in the UK.