Thomas Partey risk missing 2026 World Cup as Canada court dismiss visa refusal case

Canada Federal Court don throway di motion wey Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey file to challenge im visa refusal to play di Ghana World Cup game against Panama on Wednesday 17 June.

Afta more dan one hour of hearing di arguments form di Canada ministry of citizenship and immigration and lawyers for di 33-year-old player, judge Roger Lafreniere return to dismiss di appeal.

Dis mean say di midfielder no go fit enta Canada to play for Ghana for dia game against Panama on Wednesday.

Di court no only throway di appeal against di initial refusal, dem also throway di relief wey dey ask Canada authorities to issue "temporary resident permit" wey go allow am enta di kontri for short period.

Wit dis ruling, Ghana gatz play dia Group L game without one of dia experienced players.

As tins stand, if Ghana qualify from di group stage, di chance say dem go play more games for Canada dey high and unless sometin change, Partey no fit enta Canada sake of dem say im be "inadmissible".

Canada immigration law dey tok say any pesin wey dey face charges or dey convicted for indictable crimes for anoda kontri outside Canada, no dey admissible for di kontri.

Some of di argument wey happun for court

For di hearing wey journalists bin monitor by zoom, Canadian immigration lawyers bin argue say di midfield neva disclose some information especially di ones about im rape charges for di UK during di application process.

Di judge don ask for evidence if Partey im lawyers disclose di charges to di US for dia visa, afta dem argue say di US don grant am temporary visa sake of di tournament.

Partey im lawyers tok say dem no get di actual US application data for dia at di moment

Canadian authorities insist say dem no dey need criminal conviction of a pesin bifor dem go refuse di pesin entry.

Lawyers for Partey argue say no court find di player guilty wey di UK court also neva give am travel ban; dem also no seize im passport, so im fit move around.

But di immigration ministry lawyer ask why dem for give Partey preferential treatment - di lawyer say di law gatz apply to everybodi.

Canadian authorities also dismiss di argument of reputational damage say di burden no dey dia top, na for di UK authorities wey charge.

Partey im lawyers say to deny am visa to play dis World Cup go cause "irreparable damage" sake of im no go get chance to play anoda tournament since dis be di first time di kontri go play for di tournament.

Canada ministry of citizenship and immigration lawyers throway dat argument wey dem explain say in fact, Partey bin play for di last World Cup wey im play for all three group games for dat tournament.

Lawyers for Partey finally argue say Canadian authorities bin give temporary resident permit (TRP) to many artists, actors and personalities for di past, na so dem gatz grant di Black Stars midfielder, di same permit.

Dem also ask di judge to consider speed for im decision since time no dey for her client wey get World Cup game for Wednesday evening, dem tok say dem dey ready to even sign undertaken to be allowed entry.

Di judge go present im decision afta im considering all di argument.

Ghana govment for dia appeal dey ask di court to "make Canadian authroities grant di 33-year-old midfielder restricted entry" to participate for di tournament.

Dem also ask di court to instruct di Canada immigration authorities say make dem allow Partey submit fresh visa application.

Di team already arrive for Toronto, Canada wey dem go play wit Panama for dia first group L game for Wednesday at 11 PM GMT (12 AM WAT).

Ghana go also face England and Croatia later for di group.