TORONTO — Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi will not play in his team's FIFA World Cup match against Germany in Toronto on Saturday after he was denied authorization to enter Canada, according to the Ivory Coast Football Federation.The federation announced Thursday that Wahi, who is under investigation in France over alleged betting-related offences, was unable to obtain the administrative approvals required to travel to Canada."Ivory Coast faces Germany on Saturday in Toronto. The necessary administrative authorizations for his entry into Canadian territory could not be obtained at this stage," the federation said in a statement.Wahi started in Ivory Coast's opening World Cup match on Monday, a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia. He will remain in the United States while the national team travels to Canada and is expected to rejoin the squad after its return, the federation said.The development comes one day after France's top professional soccer league disclosed that authorities were investigating suspicious betting activity linked to a Ligue 1 match involving Wahi..The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said Wednesday that monitoring partners identified an unusually high volume of international wagers predicting that Wahi would receive a yellow card during Nice's match against Metz on May 17. The game ended in a scoreless draw, and Wahi was booked during the contest.The LFP said it forwarded the information to police, gambling regulators and the French Football Federation for further review.In a statement to The Associated Press, the Marseille prosecutor's office confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested on May 29 as part of an ongoing investigation. The office said the investigation concerns alleged offences including organized fraud, organized sports corruption, receiving stolen goods and money laundering.Authorities said the player was questioned while in custody and later released without charges being laid. The investigation remains ongoing.Wahi's representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The Ivory Coast Football Federation said it has not received official notification of any judicial or administrative proceedings involving the player."During this particularly delicate period, the FIF offers its full support to the player and reaffirms its confidence in him," the federation said. "Elye Wahi remains an important member of the Ivory Coast national team."Wahi joined Nice on loan from German club Eintracht Frankfurt in January. The 23-year-old scored nine goals in 18 appearances and helped the club reach the French Cup final.Less than two weeks after the match that triggered the betting investigation, Wahi scored twice in a 4-1 victory over Saint-Etienne in a promotion-relegation playoff, helping Nice retain its place in Ligue 1.
