Soccer-Ivory Coast forward Wahi caught up in betting investigation

French authorities are investigating suspected sports corruption after unusual betting patterns were detected around Ivory Coast World Cup forward Elye Wahi receiving a yellow card in a Ligue 1 match.

Ivory CoastWorld Cup forward Elye ​Wahi is at the centre ‌of an ​investigation into suspected sports corruption after unusual betting patterns were detected around a yellow card he received in a Ligue 1 ‌match last month, according to statements from French authorities and the French Professional Football League (LFP).

Wahi, who was not immediately available to comment, was not named as a suspect. A spokesperson for the Marseille prosecutor's ‌office told Reuters a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was taken into custody on May 29 ‌as part of an investigation into suspected organised fraud, organised sports corruption, handling stolen goods and money laundering.

The LFP said it had alerted authorities after betting monitoring partners detected an unusually high volume of wagers placed internationally on ⁠Wahi ​receiving a yellow card ⁠during Nice's final-day league match against Metz on May 17. The LFP said it had not initiated disciplinary proceedings and ⁠would make no further comment.

The Ivory Coast team said it had no information on the subject. Reuters was ​not immediately able to reach Wahi's agent for comment. The Athletic reported on Wednesday that ⁠Wahi had been arrested by French police on May 29, little more than two weeks before Ivory Coast opened ⁠their ​World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia.

Sports betting is well-established in France, which made online wagering legal 16 years ago, shortly before the 2010 World Cup. The ⁠U.S., which is co-hosting the largest-ever World Cup with Canada and Mexico this year, has seen ⁠a rapid expansion of ⁠sports betting across the country since the Supreme Court paved the way for states to legalise the practice in 2018.