An Ivory Coast footballer was arrested on suspicion of fixing offences in the build-up to the World Cup.
According to The Athletic, Elye Wahi was arrested less than a fortnight before the tournament began.
The publication details that the 23-year-old is part of an active investigation to determine whether or not he picked up a deliberate yellow card during his club side Nice’s 0-0 home draw with Metz in Ligue 1 on May 17.
Twelve days later on May 29, the striker was arrested by French police in the aftermath of having scored two goals in a 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne to preserve their top-flight status.
Despite the investigation, Wahi has travelled to the United States to be a part of Ivory Coast’s World Cup squad. He started in their 1-0 win over Ecuador on Sunday in Philadelphia.
A spokesperson for the Marseille public prosecutor’s office told The Athletic on Tuesday: ‘We can confirm that a 23-year-old football player, competing in France’s Ligue 1, was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office into allegations of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering.
Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi was arrested on suspicion of fixing offences in the build-up to the World Cup
Wahi is part of an active investigation to determine whether or not he picked up a deliberate yellow card during his club side Nice’s 0-0 home draw with Metz in Ligue 1 on May 17
‘He was released after he was interviewed in police custody. The investigations remain ongoing. The football player is not a member of the French selection taking part in the World Cup.’
Since The Athletic’s publication, the governing domestic body of French football Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has confirmed that ‘an unusual volume of bets relating to a booking involving the player Elye Wahi’ happened during the Nice versus Metz draw.
In a statement to The Athletic, the LFP said: ‘At this stage, and in view of the ongoing proceedings and the associated confidentiality requirements imposed on it by the police authorities, the LFP will not make any further comment and has not initiated any disciplinary proceedings. It reserves the right, however, to do so depending on how the investigations progress.
‘The LFP reiterates that it remains fully committed to safeguarding the integrity of its competitions and that it will take the strongest possible action against any behaviour likely to compromise it.’
Despite the ongoing probe, Wahi will be looking to fire Ivory Coast to glory when they face Germany (8pm BST) in Group E, before concluding their group-stages matches against Curacao on June 25 (9pm).
