Ligue 1: Unusual bets on Wahi receiving a yellow card while playing for Nice
The French Football League reported unusual betting activity related to Elye Wahi receiving a yellow card in a Ligue 1 match, leading to an investigation into possible sports corruption.
PARIS (AP) — The French soccer league said Wednesday that there was an "unusual number of bets" placed internationally on striker Elye Wahi, who is playing for Ivory Coast at the World Cup, receiving a yellow card in a Ligue 1 match against Nice in May.
Wahi featured in Ivory Coast's first team as they beat Ecuador 1-0 in their World Cup debut, hitting the crossbar early in the second half of that match. Ivory Coast will face Germany next Saturday in Toronto.
In a statement, the French football league said it had been alerted by its betting market monitoring partners about suspicious betting activities at international level in relation to Nice's home match against Metz on May 17, which ended 0-0, and during which Wahi received a yellow card.
"These warnings relate to an unusual number of bets placed on player Elye Wahi receiving a yellow card," the Professional Football League (LFP) said, adding that it immediately passed this information to the relevant police and betting authorities, as well as the French Football Federation. LFP has also taken its own legal steps.
"A criminal complaint has been filed against unknown persons regarding possible acts related to sports corruption and organized fraud," the LFP said, without naming Wahi.
A representative for Wahi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. May 17 was the final round of the Ligue 1 season. Less than two weeks later, Wahi helped Nice stay relegated by scoring two goals in a 4-1 victory over Saint-Etienne in the second leg of the promotion - relegation playoff round.
The 23-year-old joined Nice on loan from German club Eintracht Frankfurt in January and has scored nine goals in 18 matches, helping Nice reach the French Cup final. An agile striker with good technique, Wahi was once considered one of the most promising young strikers in Europe, and clubs spent a total of nearly 90 million euros ($104 million) to sign him.
Three years ago, Wahi joined Lens from Montpellier for 35 million euros after scoring 19 goals in Ligue 1 and turning down a transfer offer from Premier League club Chelsea. Lens sold him to Marseille for 25 million euros the following season. After just 13 games in Ligue 1, Wahi has joined Frankfurt on a five-and-a-half year contract. The German club paid 26 million euros for Wahi, but only received one goal in 25 matches.
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