Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi was arrested in May for engaging in alleged spot-fixing offenses, according to The Athletic.
Wahi was arrested by French police on May 29 after suspicious betting patterns emerged when Wahi’s Ligue 1 team, Nice, took on Metz on May 17. An investigation into Wahi’s actions began after the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) noticed several bets were placed on Wahi receiving a yellow card during the match. That practice, in which a player allegedly manipulates a specific outcome in a game, is known as spot-fixing. The LFP is “the governing body that runs the domestic game in France,” per The Athletic.
Wahi did receive a yellow card during the contest, which ended in a 0-0 draw. His yellow card came in the 35th minute after a tackle on Metz defender Sadibou Sane. Wahi was also involved in another questionable challenge prior to that foul, though did not receive a yellow card for that interaction.
Days before that match, it was announced that Wahi made Ivory Coast’s World Cup roster. He played in the team’s first match Sunday, a 1-0 win over Ecuador. Wahi played 56 minutes in the game, registering two shots on goal.
Though he was arrested, Wahi has yet to be charged with a crime. Because of that, he was allowed to travel to the United States to take part in the World Cup.
It’s unclear whether FIFA was aware of Wahi’s arrests, or the allegations against him, prior to the start of the 2026 World Cup. The Athletic reached out to Wahi, Ivory Coat and FIFA about the situation.
Following their 1-0 win over Ecuador, Ivory Coast’s next match is set to come against Germany on Saturday. Wahi’s status for that contest could be up in the air depending on how FIFA decides to handle the allegations against the forward.
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