Nice forward Wahi faces match-fixing probe after French police arrest ahead of Ivory Coast's World Cup campaign

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been drawn into a match-fixing probe astatine the worst imaginable time, with The Athletic reporting that the Nice guardant was arrested and questioned by constabulary successful France little than 2 weeks earlier the commencement of the 2026 World Cup.

Focused connected Ivory Coast's 2nd radical crippled against Germany connected June 20 astatine BMO Field successful Toronto — aft the opening 1-0 triumph implicit Ecuador connected June 14 — the 23-year-old finds his World Cup mentation overshadowed by a ungraded that has present been made public.

Wahi taxable of probe implicit alleged yellowish paper manipulation

According to The Athletic, Wahi is the taxable of an probe successful France opened astatine the petition of the Ligue de shot professionnel (LFP). The enquiry aims to find whether the Nice guardant deliberately provoked a yellowish paper helium received during a 0-0 gully with Metz connected May 17, successful the 34th circular of Ligue 1.

The Courcouronnes-born guardant was booked for a tackle connected Sadibou Mane successful the 35th minute, 2 minutes aft a akin foul connected Bouna Sarr that went unpunished by the referee. The yellowish paper incidental came 4 days aft helium had received his call-up to the Ivory Coast squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Wahi arrested and questioned successful constabulary custody up of tournament

Wahi was arrested by constabulary connected May 29, soon aft impressing with a brace successful a 4-1 play-off triumph against Saint-Etienne that secured Nice's endurance successful the French apical flight. He was subsequently held successful constabulary custody earlier being released, arsenic confirmed by a spokesperson for the Marseille nationalist authoritative speaking to The Athletic.

'We tin corroborate that a 23-year-old footballer playing successful Ligue 1 was arrested connected May 29 arsenic portion of an probe opened by the Marseille nationalist authoritative into suspected offences of organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of transgression proceeds and wealth laundering. He was released aft being questioned successful constabulary custody. The probe is ongoing. This footballer does not signifier portion of the France squad participating successful the World Cup.'

The Athletic's Jacob Whitehead reported connected the investigation, penning that the 23-year-old 'has not been charged but remains taxable of an progressive investigation.'

At present, it remains unclear what interaction this contention volition person connected the remainder of Wahi's World Cup. Still awaiting his archetypal planetary goal, the erstwhile Lens guardant is chasing his archetypal onslaught successful the orangish garment of the Elephants.