Ivory Coast Star Elye Wahi Under French Police Probe for Spot-Fixing

West Africa WeeklyJune 18, 20262 Mins read15

Ivory Coast international striker Elye Wahi, currently featuring for his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was arrested by French police last month as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged spot-fixing activities, according to a report by The Athletic. The 23-year-old forward is being investigated over claims that he deliberately sought to receive a yellow card during a French Ligue 1 match between Nice and Metz on May 17.

Spot-fixing involves manipulating a specific event within a sporting contest for betting purposes rather than influencing the final outcome. Authorities are examining suspicious betting patterns linked to wagers placed on Wahi being booked during the encounter. The alleged incident involved Wahi receiving a yellow card in the 35th minute for a late challenge on Metz defender Sadibou Sane. The booking was his fifth of the season, which ruled him out of the first leg of Nice’s relegation playoff against Saint-Etienne.

Wahi was subsequently arrested by French police on May 29, immediately after starring with two goals in a 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne that kept Nice in Ligue 1. Confirming the development, 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 organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering”. The spokesperson added, “He was released after he was interviewed in police custody. The investigations remain ongoing”.

According to multiple sources with knowledge of the case, the probe began after the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the governing body that runs the domestic game in France, received several notifications of suspicious betting patterns in Nice’s Ligue 1 fixture against Metz, involving wagers on Wahi to receive a yellow card. On Wednesday, the LFP confirmed that it is also looking into the matter but noted that no disciplinary action has been taken at this stage. In a statement, 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 reiterated 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 investigation, Wahi was included in the Ivory Coast’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He featured for 55 minutes in the Elephants’ 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Monday. However, the Ivorian Football Federation confirmed on Thursday that Wahi has not been authorised to travel to Canada for his team’s next World Cup match against Germany in Toronto on Saturday. The federation said it had not been told of any judicial or administrative proceedings against Wahi but confirmed he had not been able to obtain the necessary administrative authorisations for entry into Canadian territory. The federation extended its support to the player and reaffirmed its confidence in him, stating that Wahi remains an important element of the Ivory Coast national team. Wahi will remain in the United States pending the team’s return.