en.malanginspirasi.com – The government of Ghana is urgently seeking to reverse a Canadian decision denying entry to midfielder Thomas Partey, calling the move “high-handed and extremely unfair.”
The 32-year-old former Arsenal player was refused a visa, forcing him to miss Ghana’s opening World Cup match against Panama in Toronto this Wednesday.
Partey is currently facing seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four women between 2020 and 2022. He has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is scheduled for next year.
In an official statement, the Ghanaian government confirmed it is engaging in active diplomacy with Canadian officials.
It argued that the visa refusal contradicts the “presumption of innocence” given that the UK criminal proceedings have not resulted in a conviction.
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While Canada’s official immigration policy states that individuals who have committed or been convicted of a crime may be barred from entry, the United States took a different approach.
A US Customs and Border Protection official confirmed that Partey was granted entry to the US for Ghana’s training camp in Boston, noting that he has not been convicted of any crime.
Ghana’s head coach, Carlos Queiroz, has fully supported the midfielder’s inclusion in the squad.
If the visa ban holds, Partey will sit out the Panama match but remains eligible to play in Ghana’s subsequent group stage matches against England (June 23) and Croatia (June 27), both hosted in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
However, a permanent ban could pose future logistical issues, as Ghana may have to return to Canada for the Round of 32 if they finish second in Group L.
