Ghana lodges protest over Canada's refusal to admit rape case suspect Partey

Partey, 32, who plays for the Spanish side Villareal, faces seven charges of rape and an accusation of sexual assault by four different women between 2020 and 2022 in Britain. He has denied the charges.

On Friday, it emerged that the former Arsenal player had been refused permission to travel from the Ghana base just outside Boston to Canada with the rest of the squad.

Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana's foreign minister, described Canada's treament of Partey as high-handed.

 "Ghana has dispatched an official note of protest," he added. He said the Canadian government had been asked to review its decision.

Respect for Canada's sovereign right'

"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," added a foreign ministry statement.

A spokesperson for Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said on Friday that the country has been consistent that hosting major events does not change immigration laws.

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"Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies," the spokesperson said.

World soccer's governing body Fifa, which organises the World Cup, said it was not involved in the immigration processes of host countries.

It has confirmed that Partey will be able to play in Ghana's next games in Group L.

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On 23 June at the Boston Stadium, they face England. Ghana conclude the pool stages against Croatia on 27 June in Philadelphia.

Partey's case is the second visa hiccup in less than a week.

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The US refused entry on Tuesday to the Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan.

The 34-year-old had been due to officiate at the tournament but he was not allowed to enter the country after authorities said they had discovered an "association with suspected members ofterror organisations".

When he returned to Somalia, Artan was given a hero's welcome. He described the visa decision as a matter of fate and urged fellow Somalis not to lose heart over it.

(With newswires)