Ivory Coast’s World Cup star Elye Wahi ‘arrested over match-fixing offences’

Ivory Coast star Elye Wahi was reportedly arrested less than two weeks before the World Cup on suspicion of match-fixing offences.

A report in The Athletic details that 23-year-old Wahi is the subject of an “active investigation” to establish whether the forward deliberately earned a yellow card while playing for Nice against Metz in Ligue 1 on 17 May.

The report adds that Wahi, who started Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win against Ecuador on Sunday night, was subsequently arrested by French police on 29 May and was released after an interview.

A spokesperson for Marseille public prosecutor’s office said: “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.

“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.”

The Independent has approached Fifa, the Ivorian Football Association and Wahi’s representatives for comment.

More to follow…