Ivorian international Elye Wahi, currently participating in the World Cup, faces allegations of deliberately receiving a yellow card in a recent Ligue 1 fixture. These suspicions arose following unusual betting patterns observed prior to the incident.
The Ligue de football professionnel (LFP) confirmed on Wednesday that it filed a complaint against an unknown party on May 29, citing suspicions of manipulated bets related to a yellow card received by OGC Nice forward Elye Wahi during a match against Metz. This incident occurred on the final day of the Ligue 1 season.
Separately, the Marseille public prosecutor’s office revealed that a 23-year-old professional football player, active in the French Ligue 1 Championship, was taken into custody on May 29, 2026. This action was part of an ongoing investigation initiated by the interregional specialized jurisdiction into alleged organized fraud, sports corruption, concealment, and money laundering. Following an interview during his detention, the player was subsequently released. The investigation remains active.
Formal complaint filed
The LFP issued a statement indicating that on May 18, the day after the OGC Nice-FC Metz encounter, its partners specializing in sports betting market surveillance flagged unusual international betting activity. These alerts specifically pointed to an atypical volume of wagers placed on a caution involving player Elye Wahi.
After forwarding these critical details to the national police, the Autorité nationale des jeux (National Gaming Authority), and the Fédération française de football (French Football Federation), the LFP proceeded with filing a complaint against an unknown party on May 29. The complaint targets actions potentially constituting sports corruption and organized fraud.
Yellow card incident details
During the match in question, the 23-year-old striker, who is currently representing Côte d’Ivoire at the World Cup, received a yellow card in the 36th minute. This was for a studs-up challenge on Metz defender Salidou Sané. Notably, Wahi had a prior incident in the 32nd minute, a tackle from behind on Bouna Sarr, for which he might also have been cautioned.
The yellow card ultimately led to Wahi’s suspension for the first leg of the Ligue 1/Ligue 2 playoff, where Nice faced Saint-Étienne. Despite this, Nice successfully secured its position in the top flight.
The LFP concluded its statement by reiterating its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its competitions. The organization affirmed its intention to act with the utmost resolve against any conduct that threatens to compromise this integrity.
