June 18 : Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi will not travel to Canada for this weekend's World Cup clash with Germany because his authorisation to visit the country had not yet been obtained, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) said on Thursday.
The announcement came a day after Wahi was linked to an investigation into suspected sports corruption, with French authorities saying unusual betting patterns were detected around a yellow card Wahi received in a Ligue 1 match while playing for Nice last month.
Wahi, who was not immediately available to comment, was not named as a suspect.
A spokesperson for the Marseille prosecutor's office told Reuters a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was taken into custody on May 29 as part of an investigation into suspected organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling stolen goods and money laundering.
The FIF said they had full confidence in Wahi.
"To date, the FIF has not been officially notified of any legal or administrative proceedings concerning him," the FIF said in a statement.
"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.
"The player will not be able to join the delegation’s trip to Canada. This is because the administrative authorisations required for him to enter Canadian territory have not yet been obtained. Elye Wahi will therefore remain in the United States until the team returns."
Wahi, who previously represented France at Under-21 level, made his senior international debut for Ivory Coast in March.
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in their first Group E match, while Germany are coming off a thumping 7-1 win over Curacao.
Read the full article at Channel NewsAsia (CNA) →📄Source document: Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) Statement
2 reports
Channel NewsAsia (CNA)Party-alignedCenter3 days agoIvory Coast footballer Elye Wahi will not travel to Canada for a World Cup match against Germany due to lacking travel authorization. The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) stated he has not been formally notified of any legal proceedings. Wahi was recently linked to an investigation involving suspicious betting patterns around a yellow card he received during a Ligue 1 match. A 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested in connection with an investigation into sports corruption, but Wahi was not named as a suspect.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overt ideological framing. It reports on a sports-related issue involving a player's absence due to administrative reasons and mentions an ongoing investigation without taking a stance or using biased language.
Official sources cited
- organisation Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) Statement
- organisation Marseille Prosecutor's Office Spokesperson (Reuters)
Channel NewsAsia (CNA)Party-alignedCenter4 days ago Ivory Coast forward Wahi caught up in betting investigationIvory Coast footballer Elye Wahi is under investigation for suspected sports corruption following unusual betting patterns linked to a yellow card he received in a Ligue 1 match. French authorities and the French Professional Football League (LFP) confirmed the probe, which involves a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player taken into custody. The LFP stated it alerted authorities after detecting an unusually high volume of international bets on Wahi receiving the yellow card. No disciplinary action has been taken against Wahi, and his team has not commented on the matter.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual details about an ongoing investigation involving a football player without taking a stance or using biased language. It reports on the situation neutrally, citing official sources such as French authorities and the LFP, while avoiding any subjective interpretation or slm
Official sources cited
- government French authorities
- organisation French Professional Football League (LFP)
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