Canadian immigration and refugee lawyer Adam B. Sadinsky has exclusively told Footy-Africa that Thomas Partey‘s appeal against Canada’s visa refusal was always likely to fail because the country’s immigration laws do not require a criminal conviction to deny a foreign national entry.
Speaking after a Canadian court dismissed Partey’s emergency application ahead of Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama, Sadinsky said many supporters misunderstood the legal threshold applied by immigration officials.
Instead, he explained, Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act allows authorities to find an individual inadmissible if there are “reasonable grounds” to believe they committed an act that, if committed in Canada, would be punishable by a prison term of 10 years or more.
“No conviction is needed,” Sadinsky said. “The visa officer only needs reasonable grounds to believe that the act was committed.”
Ghana vs Panama prediction, betting tips: Semenyo to lead Black Stars to victory
According to Sadinsky, that provision proved decisive in Partey’s case because sexual assault is regarded as a serious offence under Canadian immigration law.
“This was probably an uphill battle for Mr. Partey from the start, considering the significant media coverage in the UK surrounding the allegations against him,” he said.
Sadinsky also pointed to what he believes may have complicated the visa application.
After reviewing the Federal Court’s decision, he said it appeared the Ghana Football Association submitted the application on Partey’s behalf and answered “No” when asked whether the midfielder had ever been charged with a criminal offence.
“All visa applicants to Canada are expected to complete their own applications and are responsible for their answers regardless of who prepares the application,” he said. “They must answer truthfully.”
Partey’s legal team sought extraordinary relief from the Federal Court, asking the judge to effectively allow the midfielder to enter Canada despite the visa refusal so he could feature in Ghana’s World Cup opener.
Ghana sports minister blasts FIFA over Partey visa saga ahead of World Cup opener
However, Sadinsky said that request faced significant legal obstacles because Canadian courts have limited authority to interfere with immigration decisions.
“Courts are limited in Canada in the sort of relief they can grant, and the judge’s reasons suggest that he wasn’t willing to go that far,” he said. “To me, this was a shot in the dark and it’s not surprising that the court refused to step in.”
Despite the ruling, Sadinsky believes Partey’s hopes of entering Canada have not been completely extinguished.
He revealed that the midfielder’s lawyers have asked Canada’s immigration department to reconsider the original visa refusal or alternatively issue a Temporary Resident Permit, a discretionary document that allows an otherwise inadmissible individual to enter Canada for a specific purpose.
“There may also be lobbying at the political level by the Canadian government, the Ghana Football Association or FIFA itself,” he said.
Carlos Queiroz confirms Ghana 26-man squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup
“Kick-off came too soon for Mr. Partey, but if Ghana return to Toronto later in the tournament, the story may have another chapter yet.”
Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four women in the United Kingdom. His trial is scheduled to begin in 2027.
