Accra [Ghana], June 13 (ANI): Ghana's government on Saturday described Canada's decision to refuse a visa to midfielder Thomas Partey ahead of the country's 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Panama on June 17 as 'extremely unfair,' according to a Reuters report.

Notably, Partey's visa application to enter Canada was earlier refused by the Canadian government, meaning the footballer will not be taking part in his side's FIFA World Cup opener in Toronto.

Ghana's foreign ministry, on Saturday, said in a statement that it understood Canada's visa refusal was linked to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom involving Thomas Partey. The 32-year-old, a former player for Arsenal FC who currently plays for Villarreal CF, is facing allegations of rape and sexual assault in the UK, which he has denied.

Ghana's government expressed 'strong reservations' to Canada's decision, calling it 'high-handed' and 'extremely unfair'. While acknowledging Canada's right to enforce its immigration laws, it argued that basing the visa refusal on unproven allegations--without any court ruling--raises serious concerns about fairness and proportionality.

'The Government of the Republic of Ghana expresses strong reservations following the high-handed and extremely unfair decision by Canada,' the statement said.

'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 added.

A spokesperson for Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship department, on Friday, said the country applies its immigration laws consistently and added that all visa applications are assessed individually based on available information and applicable law.

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

FIFA, on the other hand, had said that the world football's governing body is 'not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas'.

Partey is currently with the rest of the Ghana squad in Boston and will remain eligible to feature in their upcoming Group L fixtures against England on June 23 in Boston and Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia. (ANI)