Thomas Partey's appeal to overturn Canada's visa refusal was dismissed by Federal Court judge Roger Lafrenière on 16 June. The 33-year-old Arsenal midfielder had filed an emergency appeal after Canadian immigration officials denied him entry, citing reasonable grounds for inadmissibility related to allegations he faces in Britain.
Partey denies allegations of rape and sexual assault. A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated that "when there are reasonable grounds to believe an act that would trigger inadmissibility has been committed by an applicant, they can be deemed inadmissible to Canada," regardless of whether a foreign conviction exists.
The US government has granted Partey a visa, but Canadian law does not require a conviction for inadmissibility findings. Partey's lawyer Mackeda Bramwell indicated he would not pursue a further appeal following the Federal Court decision.
Ghana's match against Panama on 18 June will take place in Toronto without Partey. His absence removes a key midfielder option from Ghana's opening World Cup fixture, affecting team selection and tactical options. Squad availability changes may influence betting markets for Ghana's group matches.
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