NEW DELHI: Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been cleared 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 necessary permits had now been secured.Wahi started in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win against Ecuador in Philadelphia on Monday. The Elephants are set to face Germany on Saturday in Toronto in their second game of the tournament.Canadian immigration authorities have not released details about the case. Taous Ait, a spokesman for Canada’s immigration minister, declined to comment, saying the player’s authorization was required.Confirming the development, the alliance said: “The necessary permits have now been obtained for his entry into Canadian territory.”“As a result, the Ivorian international has been cleared to travel with the Elephants delegation to Canada and will continue his participation in the competition alongside his team-mates as usual.“FIFA welcomes this positive outcome and thanks the various parties who contributed to the resolution of this matter,” it added.Wahi is currently under investigation after French football authorities discovered 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 amount” was placed at international level on Wahi’s yellow card during the match. The match ended in a 0-0 draw and Wahi received a yellow card.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.When asked if Wah was questioned by police, prosecutors in Marseille told The Associated Press that “the 23-year-old professional footballer, who competes in France’s Ligue 1, was arrested on May 29, 2026 as part of their investigation.”The prosecutor’s office added that “the investigation relates to the alleged crimes of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods and money laundering.”The player was questioned while in police custody before being released without detention.Wahi’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The Ivorian federation said it had not been officially informed “of any judicial or administrative proceedings” involving the striker. The governing body added that it “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,” it added.Wahi joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January and has enjoyed a productive spell, 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 and relegation play-offs, helping the club retain their place in the first division.
