ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana’s government has criticized Canada’s “extremely unfair” decision to deny midfielder Thomas Partey a visa for his team’s World Cup opener while he awaits trial on rape charges, and it threatened legal action in a bid to overturn the refusal.
The 32-year-old Partey, who is scheduled to stand trial in London later this year, returned to Ghana’s base camp in Rhode Island after Canada denied his visa application to enter the country for Wednesday’s match against Panama in Toronto.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday issued a statement criticizing what it called “the high-handed and extremely unfair decision by Canada to refuse a temporary residence application” for Partey.
Partey faces allegations from several women dating to his time with English club Arsenal from 2020-25. Partey, who played in Spain for Villarreal this past season, has pleaded not guilty.
Ghana’s government said it “reaffirms the fundamental legal principle of the presumption of innocence, a cornerstone of justice and due process in democratic societies.”
“While respecting Canada’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, Ghana considers that reliance on unproven charges in the absence of a judicial determination raises fundamental questions of fairness and proportionality,” the statement read. “Accordingly, Ghana is pursuing active diplomatic engagements with the relevant Canadian authorities on this matter.”
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz had also cited a presumption of innocence for Partey when he included the player in his World Cup squad.
Ghana’s government said it had sent an “official note of protest” to Canada asking for the decision to be reviewed, and that it was “determined to explore and pursue all available diplomatic, legal and administrative remedies under Canadian and international law, including, where appropriate, judicial review before the Federal Court of Canada, to ensure full and fair consideration of all relevant legal and factual issues in accordance with due process.”
The statement added that the Ministry has been holding talks with Canadian officials and that Ghana “remains committed to constructive engagements” with their counterparts in pursuit of “an amicable resolution in a timely manner.”
Partey’s lawyer said in March that the player intends to plead not guilty to two new charges of rape after a woman alleged Partey twice raped her on the same day in December 2020. He had separately been awaiting trial on five counts of rape related to two other women and one count of sexual assault involving another woman, and the new allegations arose after the first set of charges were publicized.
Partey will be able to play June 23 when Ghana faces England in Massachusetts. Ghana concludes group play June 27 against Croatia in Philadelphia.
“May the beautiful game of football continue to live up to its reputation of uniting nations, forging lasting bonds of friendship, playing by the rules, and promoting fair play both on and off the field,” Ghana’s government said in its statement.
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