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A Federal Court judge has dismissed Thomas Partey’s bid for emergency relief after Canada denied the Ghanaian midfielder entry for the FIFA World Cup.
Justice Roger Lafrenière, who heard the application Tuesday morning, rejected Partey’s request to temporarily override Canada’s decision and allow him to travel to Toronto for Ghana’s opening match against Panama on Wednesday.
Partey, 32, remains in the U.S. with the Ghana team after being found inadmissible to Canada.
The former Arsenal player is awaiting trial next year in England on seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty.
Lafrenière said Partey failed to show grounds for emergency relief and found the balance of convenience favoured maintaining Canada’s immigration rules.
Before the decision was released, Ghana’s manager Carlos Queiroz said his team was prepared to move forward without Partey in the lineup.
“My business, it is to play with the cards that I have in front of me,” Queiroz said. “We are waiting for a decision.”
Canada has said immigration decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and that hosting the World Cup does not change the country’s immigration laws.
Partey was permitted to enter the United States for Ghana’s training camp and upcoming World Cup matches in Boston and Philadelphia.
He had sought an order permitting his temporary entry into Canada to play for his country pending the final determination of his case.
“The public interest weighs in favour of the order,” Partey’s lawyer Mackeda Bramwell said in a written submission to the court. “Canada is a host nation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and has an interest in the orderly participation of accredited national-team athletes.”
In an affidavit filed with the court, Partey said he would remain under the continuous supervision of the Ghana Football Association and team officials while in Canada and would leave the country in accordance with the tournament schedule.
“I have not been convicted of any offence. I have pleaded not guilty, and I remain presumed innocent,” Partey said.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his country’s World Cup match against Panama after Canada refused his visa application. Partey, who faces rape and sexual assault charges in the U.K. that he denies, was deemed inadmissible under Canadian immigration law.
In his ruling, Lafrenière said immigration officials were entitled to consider the charges Partey faces in England when deciding whether he could enter Canada.
He also rejected arguments that Partey could not be denied entry because he has not been convicted.
While declining to intervene, the justice urged immigration officials to quickly consider Partey’s outstanding requests for reconsideration and a temporary resident permit.
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