Nice forward Elye Wahi was arrested and released in Marseille as part of an alleged French Ligue 1 spot-fixing investigation tied to unusual betting on a yellow card, ESPN reported through its news services.
The report said Wahi, who is with Ivory Coast at the 2026 World Cup, was taken into custody shortly before the tournament began and released soon after. The investigation is being handled by the prosecutor in Marseille.
LFP Flagged Bets On Nice-Metz Yellow Card
The French Professional Football League said Wednesday it had been alerted by betting-monitoring partners about suspicious international betting activity connected to Nice's home match against Metz on May 17. The game ended 0-0, and Wahi was shown a yellow card.
According to ESPN, the LFP said the alerts concerned an unusual volume of bets on Wahi receiving a caution. The league said it immediately passed the information to police, gambling authorities and the French Football Federation.
The LFP also said it had filed a criminal complaint against persons unknown over alleged acts potentially amounting to sports corruption and organized fraud. ESPN noted that the league's complaint did not name Wahi, and that his representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Wahi Remains With Ivory Coast At World Cup
The timing puts the case in two competitions at once. Wahi started for Ivory Coast in their 1-0 World Cup win over Ecuador and hit the crossbar early in the second half. Ivory Coast are scheduled to face Germany on Saturday in Toronto.
For Nice, the May 17 match was part of the final round of the Ligue 1 season. Less than two weeks later, Wahi scored twice in a 4-1 win over Saint-Etienne in the second leg of a promotion-relegation playoff, helping Nice stay in the top flight.
Nice Loan Followed Multiple Big Fees
Wahi joined Nice on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January and scored nine goals in 18 games overall, according to ESPN. The report also said he helped Nice reach the French Cup final.
His transfer history explains why the case has broader attention. Clubs have paid nearly 90 million euros in total fees for Wahi, including Lens' 35 million euro deal with Montpellier, Marseille's 25 million euro move for him and Frankfurt's 26 million euro purchase before the Nice loan.
The legal wording remains important. The published report describes an alleged spot-fixing investigation, an arrest and release, and a complaint against unnamed persons. It does not say Wahi has been charged, and the article should be read within those limits.