Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has appealed the decision to deny him a visa to enter Canada for Wednesday’s World Cup opener against Panama.
Thomas Partey will not be allowed to enter Canada (Image: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Thomas Partey will not be allowed to enter Canada after his appeal was rejected and his visa was denied. Partey will not be included in the Ghana squad that will face Panama in their World Cup opener in Toronto on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old was refused entry to Canada due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom. He is charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault related to accusations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is scheduled to go on trial next year.
Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada previously said: “Canada has consistently maintained that holding major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.”
“Every person seeking to enter Canada will be evaluated on an individual basis based on the available facts and applicable law.”
The Ghanaian government called Canada’s decision “heavy-handed and grossly unfair” and intervened to support the party. The appeals hearing was held in Ottawa on Tuesday and ended with the original verdict.
Ghana will face Panama in their first Group L match on Thursday, immediately after the opening games between England and Croatia. They will then face England in Boston on June 23rd and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27th. However, if they advance to the final tournament as 2nd place in Group L, they could return to Canada.
“FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will not be able to travel to Canada from the Ghana national team’s base camp in Boston, USA, for the first match against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, as his visa application has been rejected by the Canadian government,” FIFA said in an earlier statement.
Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to the charges (Image: Toby Shepherd / AFP via Getty Images)
“FIFA is not involved in the host country’s entry procedures, including visa checks. As with previous FIFA events, the host country’s government ultimately decides who receives a visa and is allowed entry.”
Ghana coach Carlos Quieros has consistently said he will continue to select Partey. “My job is to play with the cards that are in front of me,” he said Tuesday. “We are waiting for the decision. Once the decision (arrives), we will be ready.”
Partey, who spent five years at Arsenal before joining Villarreal last summer, is an important player for Ghana. He has won 57 caps for his country and played his best at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
