Ivory Coast player arrested in France on suspicion of match-fixing
Elye Wahi, a French striker playing for Ivory Coast's national team, was detained at the end of May 2026 in Nice after French authorities detected suspicious bets on a yellow card he received during a Ligue 1 match.
Ivory Coast player arrested in France on suspicion of match-fixing
Elye Wahi, a French footballer selected for Ivory Coast's national team, was taken into custody on 29 May 2026 in Nice as part of an investigation into sports corruption. The information, revealed on 17 June by British media outlet The Athletic, indicates that the player is suspected of deliberately receiving a yellow card during a match between his club at the time, OGC Nice, and FC Metz.
According to details reported by The Athletic, it was the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) that alerted the competent authorities after its sports betting surveillance services detected an unusual volume of bets, placed internationally, on the likelihood that Wahi would be cautioned by the referee during this match. The 22-year-old player was allegedly detained immediately after scoring a brace in his team's victory against AS Saint-Étienne.
The investigation seeks to determine whether the yellow card obtained by the striker during the Nice-Metz match was intentionally provoked, with the aim of allowing illegal betting networks to make substantial gains. This type of fixing, centred on specific events in a match rather than its final outcome, has become a growing concern for sports bodies and gambling regulation authorities.
The potential sanctions for Wahi could be particularly severe. FIFA regulations provide for penalties ranging from a two-year suspension to a lifetime ban from practising as a professional footballer. Fines could also be imposed on the player and his club, while sporting relegation measures are being considered for teams involved in such conduct.
This case comes during the 2026 World Cup, where Wahi is competing with Ivory Coast's squad. Ivory Coast are in the same group as Ecuador in this international competition. The revelation of this legal case comes as the group stage of the global tournament is underway, creating a delicate media situation for the player and his federation.
Wahi was born in France and holds French nationality. He chose to represent Ivory Coast at international level, a country with which he has family ties. Before joining OGC Nice, he had played for Montpellier Hérault Sport Club, where he established himself as one of France's most promising young strikers.
French judicial authorities have not yet communicated on the precise progress of the investigation or on any further charges. The LFP and the French Football Federation had not issued an official statement at the time this case was revealed by the English-language press.
_Source: Bolavip_
Source: Google News EC — Crime