- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,194,252
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Thomas Partey previously represented Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar [Getty Images]
Thomas Partey will miss Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama after an appeal against the decision not to grant the midfielder a visa was turned down.
Partey, 33, was denied entry to Canada before the match in Toronto because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.
The Ghanaian government sought permission for Partey to enter the country briefly to take part in Wednesday's game, with the appeal heard at a federal court in Ottawa on Tuesday.
A judge ruled there was "no serious issue in the underlying refusal" of the visa because Partey had "failed to disclose in his application that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK".
Former Arsenal player Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is due to stand trial next year.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told the BBC: ''Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada's immigration laws.
"Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.''
Partey, who now plays for Spanish side Villarreal, has played more than 50 times for Ghana having made his debut in June 2016.
Before the tournament, head coach Carlos Queiroz said he had no qualms over selecting Partey.
Asked about the issue again on Tuesday, he said: "My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me.
"We are waiting for a decision. When the decision [arrives], we are ready."
Ghana play England in Boston on 23 June and Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June.
They could return to Canada in the last 32 if they finish as runners-up in Group L.
- Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game
- World Cup fixtures and group standings
- How to watch the World Cup on the BBC
- Everything you need to know about the World Cup
You must be registered for see images
Continue reading...
