A Canadian court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey after he was denied entry into the country for his team’s ​game against ‌Panama at the World Cup.

The Canadian government last ⁠week refused a visa for Partey, 33, which led to his lawyers launching a last-minute appeal to ‌the Federal Court in Ottawa. The Black Stars face Panama ⁠in their Group L match in Toronto on Wednesday.

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In dismissing the appeal, judge Roger Lafreniere wrote that Partey sought “extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory ​relief” that would have required Canada to set aside ‌a “lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding and facilitate his entry for a specific event.”

Ahead of the verdict, Partey’s lawyer Mackeda Bramwell told Reuters they were hopeful of a ‌positive outcome. Bramwell said Partey would not appeal if the judge ruled against him.

She did not immediately ​respond to a Reuters request for comment following the judge’s decision.

Former Arsenal midfielder Partey faces allegations of rape and sexual assault in Britain. He ​has denied the charges.

The US government has granted Partey a visa, but ​Canada’s immigration officials said that under Canadian law, ​foreign nationals can be found inadmissible without a foreign conviction.

“When there are reasonable grounds to believe an ​act that would trigger inadmissibility has been committed by an applicant, they can be deemed inadmissible to Canada,” a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told Reuters.

In Ghana and across Canada’s Ghanaian diaspora, Partey’s visa refusal has ⁠led to anger and frustration among the national team’s fans.

Speaking to Reuters on Monday, Akua ⁠Mensah, 45, ​a Canadian with Ghanaian roots, said the decision by the Canadian government was unfortunate.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)