News Focus
- A Canadian court rejects Thomas Partey’s visa appeal on Tuesday.
- The Ghana midfielder cannot enter Canada for the World Cup match against Panama in Toronto.
- Partey faces serious criminal allegations in Britain, which he denies.
- His lawyer confirms the player will not launch any further legal challenges.
A court in Ottawa has blocked Thomas Partey from entering Canada. The judge rejected the Ghana star’s visa appeal on Tuesday. The 33-year-old wanted to play in his team’s World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto.
Canadian officials refused Partey a visa last week. His lawyers rushed to the Federal Court to fight the ban. But Judge Roger Lafreniere said no. He explained that Partey asked for special urgent legal help to overturn the entry ban.
Before the ruling, Partey’s lawyer Mackeda Bramwell spoke to Reuters. She said they hoped for a positive result. She also confirmed Partey would not appeal again if he lost. She did not answer questions after the court’s decision.
The former Arsenal player faces police charges in Britain. Officers accuse him of sexual assault and rape. Partey says he is innocent.
The United States has given Partey a visa. He can travel to Boston where Ghana will face England on June 23. The squad has trained there. However, Canadian law is stricter. Officials can refuse entry if they believe someone committed a crime. They do not need a court conviction to do this.
A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada explained the rules. They said Canada can ban foreign nationals if there are good reasons to think they did something wrong. Sky Sports News has asked the Ghana Football Association for a comment.