TORONTO — Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi, under investigation for alleged betting-related offences, worked out with his teammates Friday after receiving authorization to enter Canada a day earlier for his nation’s FIFA World Cup match against Germany.
The Ivorian soccer federation said earlier in the week that the 23-year-old was not going to be able to cross the border from the United States before issuing a statement Thursday saying the necessary authorizations had been obtained.
Wahi was with the squad for its workout Friday at Centennial Park as it prepared for Saturday’s game at Toronto Stadium.
“He hasn’t really shown any signs of being annoyed or being discouraged,” Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae said via an interpreter at a news conference. “He’s happy. He had a good journey over here and he’s going to do everything he can to help out the team.”
When asked about Wahi’s state of mind given the developments this week, Fae suggested the player would be best to answer.
However, Wahi wasn’t one of the three players who conducted interviews before the late-afternoon practice at the west-end pitch. An email sent to the team’s media officer requesting that Wahi be made available was not returned.
“We have been laughing about it, but it’s nothing big,” midfielder Christ Inao Oulai said via an interpreter.
“He is in a good mood to play,” he added.
Taous Ait, a spokesperson for Canada’s immigration minister, declined to comment on the case, citing a need for authorization from the individual involved.
The French soccer league said Wednesday that an “unusual amount of bets” were placed internationally on Wahi receiving a yellow card during a game on May 17 while playing for Nice.
The French league was alerted by partners monitoring betting markets about suspicious betting activity concerning Nice’s home game against Metz, which ended in a 0-0 draw and in which Wahi was shown a yellow card.
The French league said it passed that information to police and gambling authorities, as well as the French soccer federation.
Asked whether Wahi was questioned by police, the Marseille prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press “a 23-year-old professional football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1 championship, was arrested on May 29, 2026, as part of their investigation.”
The office added “the investigation concerns alleged offences of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering.”
The player was questioned while in police custody and was released without being detained. Wahi’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Ivorian soccer federation said it has not been officially notified “of any judicial or administrative proceedings” concerning Wahi. The soccer body said 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 scored nine goals in 18 games in all competitions, helping the team reach the French Cup final.
The French league season ended May 17. Wahi scored twice less than two weeks later to help Nice stay in the top division, a 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne in the second leg of the promotion-relegation playoffs.
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 last Sunday at Philadelphia Stadium. The team will return there for its group-play finale on Thursday against Curaçao.
The Elephants hold the No. 33 position in the FIFA world rankings.
“We are very happy to be here,” defender Wilfried Singo said via an interpreter. “He was well received by us and the whole team was also well received in Canada. We are looking forward to a good result tomorrow.”