The Côte d’Ivoire striker Elye Wahi. who is being investigated for alleged fixing, has received authorisation to enter Canada for his team’s World Cup match against Germany, the country’s football federation (FIF) said on Thursday.
The federation had earlier announced the 23-year-old was not going to be able to travel to Canada,. it issued a new statement stating the necessary authorisations had been obtained. Wahi started for Côte d’Ivoire when they beat Ecuador 1-0 in their opening game in Philadelphia on Monday.
The French football league said on Wednesday. an “unusual amount of bets” were placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card playing for Nice in a Ligue 1 game in May. It was alerted by partners monitoring betting markets about suspicious activity at international level concerning Nice’s home game against Metz on 17 May, which ended 0-0,. in which Wahi was shown a yellow card.
The French league said it passed this information to relevant police. gambling authorities, as well as to the French football federation.
The Marseille prosecutor’s office said: “A 23-year-old professional football player. competing in France’s Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on 29 May 2026 as part of their investigation.”
The office added: “The investigation concerns alleged offences of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, receiving stolen goods. money laundering.” The player was questioned while in police custody and released without being detained. The office said the investigation was continuing.
Wahi’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The FIF said it had not been officially notified “of any judicial or administrative proceedings” concerning Wahi. “During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him. Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Côte d’Ivoire national team.”
Wahi joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. scored nine goals in 19 games, helping Nice reach the French Cup final.
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