Ivory Coast’s Elye Wahi, under betting investigation, cleared to play in FIFA World Cup match against Germany

NEW DELHI: Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahim has been allowed to travel to Canada for his country’s World Cup match against Germany despite being investigated in France for alleged betting-related offences.Ivory Coast’s football federation (FIF) previously said the 23-year-old would not be able to travel to Canada, but confirmed on Thursday that the required clearances had already been secured.Wahi started in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday. The Elephants will face Germany in their second game of the tournament on Saturday in Toronto.Canadian immigration authorities did not provide details on the case. Taous Ait, a spokesman for Canada’s immigration minister, declined to comment, saying permission from the player was required.The federation confirmed the development, saying: “The necessary permits have now been obtained for him to enter Canadian territory.”“As a result, the Ivory Coast international is eligible to travel with the Elephants delegation to Canada and will continue to participate in the competition alongside his teammates as usual.“FIFA welcomes this positive outcome and thanks the various parties who contributed to the resolution of this matter,” she added.Wahi is currently under investigation after French football authorities uncovered suspicious betting activity linked to the Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17.The French league said on Wednesday that an “unusual number of bets” had been placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during the game. The match ended in a 0-0 draw and Wahi was booked.According to the league, monitoring partners alerted officials to unusual betting patterns and the information was passed on to the police, gambling authorities and the French Football Federation.Asked whether Wahi had been questioned by police, the Marseille prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press that “the 23-year-old professional soccer player, competing in the French Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on May 29, 2026 as part of their investigation.”The prosecutor’s office added that “the investigation concerns the alleged crimes of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods and money laundering.”The player was questioned in police custody before being released without arrest.Wahi representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The Ivory Coast federation said it had not been officially informed of “any judicial or administrative proceedings” involving the striker. The governing body added that it “offers the player its full support and reaffirms its confidence in him”.“Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team,” he added.Wahi joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January and has enjoyed a productive season, scoring nine goals in 18 appearances in all competitions and helping the club reach the French Cup final.After the French league season ended on 17 May, he scored twice in Nice’s 4–1 win over Saint-Etienne in the second leg of the promotion-relegation play-offs, helping the club retain their place in the top division.