Ivory Coast World Cup Star Elye Wahi Arrested in Betting Probe

• Betting integrity monitors flagged unusual international wagers on a yellow card shown to Nice forward Elye Wahi during a May 17 Ligue 1 match
• French anti-corruption police arrested and questioned the 23-year-old on May 29 regarding alleged spot-fixing and organized fraud
• Though initially barred from entering Canada due to the ongoing investigation, Wahi was granted last-minute travel authorization on Thursday and remains available to play for Ivory Coast against Germany on June 20

Ivory Coast World Cup striker Elye Wahi was detained and questioned by French police last month as part of an investigation into suspicious betting activity and possible spot-fixing, according to French authorities and reports by The Athletic.

The Marseille prosecutor’s office confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested and questioned on May 29 as part of an ongoing corruption investigation and was later released without being charged.

The Athletic reported on June 17 that the player was Wahi, who played in his country’s 1-0 win against Ecuador in Philadelphia on June 15, hitting the bar in the second half.

Suspicious Bets

The French Professional Football League (LFP) said this week it was alerted by betting-market integrity partners to an unusual volume of international wagers on Wahi being booked during Nice’s 0-0 Ligue 1 draw with Metz on May 17.

The league passed the information to police, gambling regulators, and the French Football Federation. LFP has also filed a criminal complaint against persons unknown over alleged acts that could amount to sports corruption and organized fraud.

Wahi was arrested on the same day he scored twice for Nice in a the second-leg 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne, a result that kept the club in France’s top division. Less than three weeks later, he was starting for Ivory Coast at the World Cup.

What is Spot-Fixing?

Spot-fixing involves manipulating a specific event within a match that can be wagered on, such as a yellow card, rather than the final result.

Suspicious betting patterns are often the starting point for spot-fixing investigations, but they are not always proof of wrongdoing.

Last year, Brazil’s Lucas Paquetá was cleared of spot-fixing charges after a lengthy English FA investigation into unusual bets on yellow cards the West Ham midfielder received in Premier League matches. The FA had sought a lifetime ban had the charges been proven.

Visa Issues

Ivory Coast’s next match is against Germany in Toronto on Saturday. That trip appeared to be in doubt Thursday when the Ivorian Football Federation said Wahi had not been given authorization to enter Canada.

However, later that same day, the federation announced the player had been granted a visa and would be able to travel with the team.