Ghana's Partey loses appeal against Canadian visa refusal over rape charges

A Canadian federal court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, who had been denied a visa by the Canadian government to enter the country for a World Cup game. As a result, Partey will not play in Wednesday's Group L match against Panama in Toronto.

In his ruling, Judge Roger Lafreniere stated that Partey sought "extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief" that would have required Canada to set aside "a lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding and facilitate his entry for a specific event."

Partey's lawyer, Mackeda Bramwell, had expressed hope for a positive outcome before the verdict but said Partey would not appeal if the judge ruled against him. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the decision.

Partey, a former Arsenal midfielder, faces allegations of rape and sexual assault in Britain, which he denies. The United States granted Partey a visa, but Canadian immigration officials noted that under Canadian law, foreign nationals can be found inadmissible without a foreign conviction. A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada explained that "when there are reasonable grounds to believe an act that would trigger inadmissibility has been committed by an applicant, they can be deemed inadmissible to Canada."

The visa refusal has sparked anger and frustration among fans of the Ghanaian national team, both in Ghana and within Canada's Ghanaian diaspora. Akua Mensah, 45, a Canadian of Ghanaian descent, called the Canadian government's decision unfortunate.