Thomas Partey says he is “ready to play” against England on Tuesday after being denied entry to Canada for Ghana’s World Cup opener, Yankee Scores reports.
Partey was unable to enter Canada last week due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the U.K.
The 29-year-old was charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in London between 2020 and 2022. Partey has denied all charges and will look to clear his name at a trial next summer.
Partey Breaks Silence
Ghana face England in Group L in Boston on Tuesday after winning their opener 1-0 and Partey was asked if he was happy to be back after his problems in Canada.
“Well, I think it’s a part of football,” he said. “Things happen outside football that you cannot control. So for me now, I feel OK and I’m ready to play.”
Ghana face England in Group L in Boston on Tuesday after winning their opener 1-0 and Partey was asked if he was happy to be back after his problems in Canada.
Partey added: “It’s not about personal achievement. We are going to play a game of football.
“We are 11 players, we are a team and have to play as a team. Individually if I can get my best game I will be happy, but at the end of the day it’s the whole team that needs to be at the top level to be able to achieve what you want to achieve.”
Ghana’s Appeal Rejected
Yankee Scores had reported that Ghana requested permission to allow the midfielder to enter Canada temporarily to participate in the tournament. However, the court rejected the application filed in the Federal Court of Canada, Ottawa.
The court observed, “No serious issue can be raised in relation to the underlying refusal” of the visa and stated that Partey failed to mention he is facing several criminal charges in the UK over sexual violence allegations.
Canada Justifies Partey’s Entry Ban
Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told the BBC, “Canada’s immigration policy does not bend for any event.”
“Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.’
The court justified its decision to uphold the entry ban noting that: “having reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed is sufficient” and a conviction is not required “to find the applicant inadmissible”.
