Ghana has lodged a formal protest with Canada after the World Cup co-host refused entry to midfielder Thomas Partey, the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
The ministry has sent an official note of protest to Global Affairs Canada. It also called for Canada to review "its unfortunate decision," a statement said.
Partey is at the Ghana camp in the US but Canada has refused him entry for their first World Cup match next Wednesday against Panama in Toronto. FIFA told dpa that Partey could not travel because of visa problems.
The 33-year-old Villarreal man was last year charged in London with seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault 2020-22. He was then an Arsenal player.
Partey has denied the charges and is set to stand trial next year.
Ghana's second and third Group L games against England and Croatia are in the US, where he appears to have gained a visa given he entered with the rest of the squad on June 4.
The Ghanaian government said he was a "key" player and had not been convicted of any crime at present. The presumption of innocence should prevail, the statement added.
Canada's stance "raises fundamental questions of fairness and proportionality," the foreign ministry in Accra said.
The Canadian government has not commented on the individual case. But before the news broke, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) told the Athletic: "The safety and security of Canadians is our priority as we welcome FIFA World Cup participants and visitors from around the world.
"IRCC officers are trained decision makers who assess an individual’s eligibility and admissibility in accordance with Canadian immigration laws. If they believe that an individual could pose a security risk, they may decide to deny them entry."
