Ghana’s Partey loses bid to enter Canada for World Cup

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who is facing trial on rape charges in the United Kingdom, lost a court challenge on Tuesday that would have allowed him to enter Canada for his side’s World Cup opener in Toronto.

Ottawa denied Partey a visa over the British charges, blocking him from playing for Ghana against Panama on Wednesday.

Ghana filed a request for an injunction in federal court on Tuesday seeking to set aside Ottawa’s decision.

However, Judge Roger Lafreniere dismissed the challenge.

Shortly before the decision was handed down, Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz told reporters in Toronto that his side would be ready, regardless of the court outcome.

Queiroz said: “My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me.

“When the decision comes, we are ready.”

Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen, also asked about Partey’s possible exclusion, said he believed Ghana would pose strong competition even if the former Arsenal player was not on the pitch.

“They have a lot of other footballers who can take on his role,” he said.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa has called Canada’s decision “high-handed and extremely unfair,” describing Partey as “a key member of Ghana’s senior national team.”

Messi equals World Cup goals record with hat-trick as Argentina whip Algeria

Ablakwa added that Ghana has sent an official “note of protest” to Ottawa over the move and formally asked Canada to review the decision.

Canada’s foreign ministry told AFP that it “maintains regular diplomatic engagement with Ghana, including on consular and migration-related issues when they arise.”

But the ministry declined comment on discussions with Ghana about the Villarreal player’s exclusion and said decisions on entering the country are made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

IRCC stated: “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 is facing seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault in UK relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.

The former Arsenal midfielder denies the allegations.