Ivorian striker Elye Wahi arrested on suspicion of match-fixing before World Cup
Elye Wahi, 23, was detained by French police on 29 May, suspected of deliberately incurring a yellow card during a Ligue 1 match before travelling to the United States to compete in the World Cup.
Ivorian striker Elye Wahi arrested on suspicion of match-fixing before World Cup
A striker for the Côte d'Ivoire national team competing in the 2026 World Cup has been held in custody by French authorities less than two weeks before the tournament's start, amid allegations of manipulating a match event for betting purposes.
Elye Wahi, aged 23, was arrested on 29 May following an investigation by the Marseille prosecutor's office into accusations of organised fraud, sports corruption, money laundering, and receiving criminal proceeds. He was questioned and then released, with the investigation continuing. No formal charges have been brought against him at this stage.
The investigation centres on whether Wahi deliberately incurred a yellow card during the Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on 17 May. The Ligue de Football Professionnel, which manages French professional football, received several alerts concerning unusual betting patterns on Wahi being cautioned in this match.
In the 35th minute of the match, the referee cautioned Wahi for a late tackle on Metz defender Sadibou Sané. He had committed another foul two minutes earlier but had escaped sanction on that occasion. This yellow card resulted in a one-match suspension, depriving him of the first leg of Nice's play-off against Saint-Étienne.
Wahi returned for the second leg on 26 May, scoring two goals in a 4-1 victory that enabled Nice to retain their top-flight status. He was arrested three days later by anti-corruption police.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Wahi travelled to North America and started in Côte d'Ivoire's opening 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia on 14 June, hitting the crossbar before being substituted. He is expected to feature in the next match against Germany in Toronto.
The Marseille prosecutor confirmed the arrest but clarified that Wahi is not part of the French national team. FIFA has not responded to questions regarding whether it was aware of the arrest before allowing the player to compete in the matches or concerning the impact on his eligibility.
Source: The New York Times / The Athletic
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)