Wahi to miss Germany match after Canada travel clearance not obtained

Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi will miss the team’s World Cup match against Germany in Toronto after his clearance to enter Canada was not obtained, the Ivorian Football Federation said Thursday. The absence removes a starting attacker from Ivory Coast’s squad for its second group game and comes as French authorities examine betting activity tied to a yellow card he received in club play.

The federation said Wahi will not travel with the squad to Canada for the weekend fixture and will remain in the United States until the team returns, according to Reuters. Ivory Coast opened its World Cup campaign Monday in Philadelphia with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, a match in which Wahi started up front.

The federation did not say why the Canada authorisation had not been secured. Reuters reported that Wahi was not immediately available for comment.

French inquiry cited by authorities

The travel issue was announced one day after Wahi was linked to an inquiry into suspected sports corruption. French authorities said unusual betting patterns had been found around a yellow card Wahi received in a Ligue 1 match last month while playing for Nice, according to Reuters.

Wahi has not been named as a suspect, Reuters reported. A spokesperson for the Marseille prosecutor’s office told Reuters that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was taken into custody on May 29 in connection with an investigation into suspected organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling stolen goods and money laundering.

The prosecutor’s office did not identify the player in the account reported by Reuters. The available details do not state whether the custody episode affected Wahi’s travel authorisation or Ivory Coast’s plans for the Germany match.

Ivory Coast adjusts after winning start

Ivory Coast’s win over Ecuador gave the team a strong start to the group stage before the Germany game in Canada. Wahi’s absence leaves the coaching staff without the forward who led the line in that opening match.

The World Cup is being staged across North America, requiring teams to cross borders between fixtures in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In this case, the Ivorian federation said only that Wahi’s authorisation to visit Canada had not been obtained.

Wahi’s club situation was also cited in the French inquiry details reported by Reuters. The betting patterns under review concerned a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match for Nice last month, French authorities said.

Ivory Coast’s next step is the Toronto match against Germany without Wahi in the travelling party. The federation said he will stay in the US until the squad returns.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.