Canadian Court Upholds Thomas Partey Entry Ban, To Miss Ghana World Cup Opener

A Canadian federal court has upheld a decision denying Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey entry into the country, ruling that immigration officials acted properly in refusing his visa application ahead of the Black Stars’ World Cup opener against Panama.

The ruling, delivered in Ottawa, dismissed an appeal seeking temporary access for Partey to travel to Toronto for the fixture at midnight today, June 17. The court found there was “no serious issue in the underlying” and stated that the player “failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK”.

The decision means the 33-year-old will be unavailable for Ghana’s opening Group L match, despite efforts by Ghanaian authorities to secure a short-term exemption.

Court documents revealed that Canadian immigration officials had questioned whether Partey met the requirement to “answer truthfully” during the visa process. Officials also cited provisions relating to misrepresentation, which can affect an applicant’s eligibility to enter the country.

The court further noted that under Canadian immigration law, “having reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed is sufficient” and that a criminal conviction is not required “to find the applicant inadmissible”.

Naija News reports that Partey, formerly of Arsenal and now with Villarreal, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault linked to allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022. He is expected to stand trial in 2027.

Responding to the case, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stressed that the country’s immigration rules apply equally to all visitors, regardless of the event involved.

While Canada refused Partey’s entry, authorities in the United States confirmed that he remains eligible to enter the country, where Ghana’s remaining group-stage matches will be played.

In a statement, US Customs and Border Protection said: “The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey. However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.

“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection. CBP defers to Canada for questions on his denial of entry.”

Before the tournament, Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz defended the decision to include Partey in his squad.

Asked about the situation on Tuesday, Queiroz 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 face England in Boston on June 23 before taking on Croatia in Philadelphia on June 23, with Partey’s availability for those fixtures unaffected by the Canadian ruling.