Lucas Paqueta may be worried. Under investigation for almost a year for suspicious sports betting, the Brazilian midfielder from West Ham, 31 games and 4 goals in the Premier League this season, has just seen his conclusions reached. The English federation accuses him of match-fixing and in particular of having voluntarily taken a yellow card during a match.
In a press release, the federation argues that “it is alleged that he directly sought to influence the progress, conduct or any other aspect or event of these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the inappropriate purpose to allocate bets so that one or more people can profit from the bets.”
I deny the accusations in their entirety
Very quickly, Paqueta denied the facts. “I am extremely surprised and upset to see that the federation has decided to charge me. For nine months, I cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided every information possible. I deny the accusations in their entirety and will fight at all times to clear my name. Due to the ongoing process, I will not make any further comments,” Auriverde wrote on social media.
Lucas Paqueta was also charged with two other violations, four in total. Incidents which allegedly took place during different Premier League matches: West Ham against Leicester City on November 12, 2022; Aston Villa on March 12, 2023; Leeds United on May 21, 2023; and AFC Bournemouth on August 12, 2023. The player has until June 3, 2024 to respond to these accusations. “The FA will make no further comment until the conclusion of this matter,” specifies the federation.
The investigation was opened when Paqueta, author of a very good season with West Ham, was getting closer to a record transfer to Manchester City. Investigators noted that an unusual number of sports bets had been observed on the Betway site, the Hammers’ jersey sponsor. Several new accounts had been created at that time on the site, and relatives of the former Lyonnais had bet the maximum sum on a yellow card in this meeting (and Paqueta had been warned).
Enough to alert the FA who had therefore decided to open an investigation even though the player, unlike the case of Sandro Tonali for example, had not bet himself. Shocked, Lucas Paqueta had only proclaimed his innocence in this affair and last October, the English press revealed that he had done everything to collaborate with the investigators. The 26-year-old midfielder had notably authorized the courts to access his phone and explained that he had not been aware of his relatives’ bets. But this Thursday, the verdict was in. After more than 9 months of investigation, the FA confirms and accuses Lucas Paqueta of match-fixing.
