Lucas Paqueta is facing the possibility of a lengthy ban (Picture: Getty)
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta faces the prospect of a lengthy ban after being charged by the Football Association for alleged breaches of their gambling rules.
Paqueta, who almost joined Manchester City in a big-money move last summer, has been charged with four counts of alleged spot-fixing after a nine-month investigation by footballing authorities.
The FA have alleged that the Brazilian midfielder deliberately picked up yellow cards in four Premier League fixtures to influence betting markets.
Suspicious betting activity has been linked back to his native Paqueta Island, with friends potentially profiting from bets placed on the midfielder to be carded.
The 26-year-old has strenuously denied the charges and is expected to lodge an appeal. Here’s everything you need to know…
What has Lucas Paqueta been charged with by the FA?
All four charges of spot-fixing relate to yellow cards that Paqueta picked up at the end of the 2022/23 season and the start of the 2023/24 campaign.
The four games and bookings in question are against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, Aston Villa on March 12, Leeds United on May 21 and Bournemouth on August 12, 2023 – the opening day of the season.
One charge relates to a yellow card Paqueta received against Bournemouth earlier in the season (Picture: Getty)
Paqueta has also been dealt two additional charges for a failure to ‘provide documents, information or any other material held in relation to a request by the FA’.
How long could Lucas Paqueta be banned for?
Issues with footballers and gambling have been placed under the spotlight in recent months after the high-profile cases involving Ivan Toney and Sandro Tonali.
Toney has since returned from his eight-month ban for 232 breaches of betting rules, while Tonali was slapped with a ten-month ban in October last year for similar breaches during his time at AC Milan.
However, Paqueta’s charges could carry even more serious – and lengthy – charges if the Brazilian is found guilty. In 2018, Lincoln player Bradley Wood was dealt a six-year ban after picking up two deliberate yellow cards in FA Cup ties.
More recently, in 2022, ex-Reading defender Kynan Isaac was given an even lengthier 12-year ban for betting offences that included spot-fixing while playing non-League football for Stratford Town.
What is spot-fixing?
‘Spot-fixing’ is when a player agrees to influence a certain part of the match rather than the game’s scoreline. It could be receiving a red or yellow card or perhaps trying to guarantee when a certain action, like a throw-in, will take place.
This is likely to be in collaboration with gamblers who can then bet on these individual markets and profit off the player’s actions.
Ivan Toney has returned from his eight-month gambling ban (Picture: Getty)
What have the FA said about Lucas Paqueta?
Announcing the charges, a statement from the FA said: ‘The player has been charged with four breaches of FA Rule E5.1 in relation to his conduct in the club’s Premier League fixtures 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.
‘It’s alleged that he directly sought to influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of, or occurrence in these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting.
‘Lucas Paqueta has also been charged with two breaches of FA Rule F3 in respect of alleged failures to comply pursuant to FA Rule F2.
‘The player has until June 3 2024 to provide a response to these charges subject to any request for an extension to this deadline. The FA will be making no further comment until the conclusion of this case.’
More Trending
What have West Ham said about Lucas Paqueta?
Following the charges, West Ham released a brief statement which said: ‘The club will continue to stand by and support the player throughout the process.’
Paqueta, meanwhile, released a more in-depth statement in which he denied any wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.
‘I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me,’ the 26-year-old said.
‘For nine months, I have co-operated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can.
‘I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name. Due to the ongoing process, I will not be providing any further comment.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.