Ghana will be without a key midfielder for its World Cup opener.
Veteran Thomas Partey, who has been charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in England over the last year, was denied entry to Canada, The Athletic reported on Friday.
In a statement to The Athletic, FIFA confirmed that Partey would miss Ghana’s Wednesday match against Panama at Toronto Stadium.
“FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston to Canada for their its match against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government. FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country,” the statement said.
Partey, who plays for Villareal but formerly suited up for Arsenal, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in London last July.
He was charged with two new counts of rape in September. He has pleaded not guilty on all.
The 32-year-old is still awaiting trial on the charges.
The Canadian government website says “if you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into Canada.”
However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told The Athletic in a pre-tournament statement that its officers can deny access into the country.
“IRCC officers are trained decision-makers who assess an individual’s eligibility and admissibility in accordance with Canadian immigration laws. If they believe that an individual could pose a security risk, they may decide to deny them entry,” the statement said.
Partey will be able to return for Ghana when it moves to the U.S. for its final two group-stage matches against England and Croatia.