Ghana’s government has launched a scathing attack on Canadian authorities, accusing them of flouting international laws after Thomas Partey was denied entry into the country due to ongoing legal proceedings over rape charges against him, reports goal.com.

The Villarreal midfielder was expected to lead his nation in their 2026 World Cup opener against Panama, but he remains stranded at the team’s base camp in Boston following a visa rejection stemming from the allegations.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a stinging rebuke to Canadian authorities, describing the decision to bar Partey from the country as “high-handed and extremely unfair.”

The former Arsenal man was refused entry on Friday, leaving his participation in Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama in serious doubt. The dispute centres on the fact that Partey has been charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London’s Metropolitan Police.

A statement released on Saturday, by the ministry read: “The Government of the Republic of Ghana expresses strong reservations following the high-handed and extremely unfair decision by Canada. 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. Accordingly, Ghana is pursuing active diplomatic engagements with the relevant Canadian authorities on this matter.”

The Ghanaian authorities are refusing to back down, arguing that the denial of a visa based on unproven charges sets a dangerous legal precedent.

Sports Minister Kofi Adams has been vocal in his defence of the 33-year-old, suggesting that Canada is overstepping its boundaries.

Adams said: “If any Ghanaian is touched anywhere, we will not keep quiet over it. Through the appropriate channels, we have communicated to the rightful authorities and are requesting that they use all processes to review and give an opportunity for a review of such a decision that we think frowns on international laws and conventions, which both Ghana and Canada are party to. We think it’s appropriate to get the appropriate authorities to review this decision. We’ve taken it to that level, and we hope and pray that they do what they must do.”

Despite the diplomatic pressure from Accra, Canadian authorities have stood firm. A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada explained that the country maintains a consistent approach to border security and legal admissibility.

The office of Minister Lena Diab clarified to ESPN that the visa denial was justified by assessing the individual based on the “facts available and the law that applies.”

This rigid approach has also received backing from world football’s governing body, FIFA, which has reaffirmed Canada’s right to determine its own visa policies and decide who is admitted into the country during the tournament.