Paquetá and Associates Under Investigation
Lucas Paquetá is undergoing questioning in Brazil by a fact-finding committee regarding allegations of match fixing.
As reported by Sportwitness, Brazilian footballer Lucas Paquetá is required to testify before a Brazilian Parliamentary Inquiry Commission for Sports Betting. The Premier League player, who is contracted to West Ham United, initially ignored the invitation but has now been officially summoned.
Paquetá is accused of attempting to manipulate bets in at least four Premier League games. Around 60 individuals in Brazil are alleged to have placed bets worth up to 480 euros on Paquetá's cautions. This action supposedly violated FA rules E5 and F3.
"I find it absurd, I find it disgusting that the player Paquetá is still in the Brazilian team, called up and playing." – Jorge Kajuru, chairman of the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission for Sports Betting, iGaming Brazil*.
Paquetá's uncle, Bruno Tolentino, is also under investigation. He is said to have transferred a significant amount of money to Brazilian footballer Luiz Henrique while he was still under contract with Betis Sevilla in Spain. The allegation surrounds deliberately provoked yellow cards, similar to Paquetá's case.
Paquetá remains eligible to play, but the process against him may continue until the summer of next year. If found guilty, he faces a lifetime ban. Brazil has recently introduced harsher penalties for match-fixing.
Ongoing Match-fixing Scandal
Paquetá was indicted for illegal betting as early as May this year. The FA has been investigating him since August 2023 and has now accused him of breaches.
Paquetá initially responded cooperatively but was re-charged by the FA for hindering the investigation recently, as reported by Insidersport. His social media posts, calls, and banking information have been scrutinized in this context.
"I am very surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me. For nine months, I have cooperated at every step of the investigation and provided all possible information. I categorically deny the allegations and will fight with all means to clear my name. Due to the ongoing proceedings, I will not make any further comments." – Lucas Paquetá, Brazilian footballer of West Ham United, Instagram*.
Lucas Paquetá: Exceptional but Not Unscathed
Paquetá was reportedly valued at up to 65 million euros at one point. He remains West Ham United's most valuable player with a market value of 55 million euros despite a 10 million euro decrease. Transfer rumors to top-tier clubs, such as English champions Manchester City, surfaced last season.
Paquetá strongly denies the charges and will continue to defend himself vigorously. The club will support him throughout the entire process.
The Paquetá case is not the first betting scandal in the Premier League. In May 2023, English national team striker Ivan Toney (28), then under contract with FC Brentford, was suspended for 25 games and fined €57,000 for a violation of FA Rule E8. According to Spiegel, Toney reportedly violated betting rules a total of 232 times. His match-fixing ban ended in January 2024.
Premier League Betting Scandals
The Premier League has been marred by betting scandals besides exciting football matches. Here are three of the most high-profile match-fixing scandals:
- Bruce Grobbelaar (1994) – Liverpool goalkeeper Grobbelaar made headlines when he was accused of deliberately fixing games. He was acquitted in court, but his reputation suffered nonetheless.
- Joey Barton (2017) – Controversial midfielder Barton was banned for 18 months by the FA after placing over 1,200 bets on football matches, including his own games. His career ended prematurely as a result.
- Matt Le Tissier (2009) – Southampton star Le Tissier admitted to being involved in an attempt to deliberately shoot the ball out of play in a match against Wimbledon to win bets. The attempt failed, but the confession caused a stir.
- Andros Townsend (2013) – Tottenham Hotspur winger Townsend was suspended for four months and fined for placing bets on football matches. Townsend apologized and attributed his behavior to a mistake.
- Dan Gosling (2014) – Bournemouth midfielder Gosling was fined by the FA after admitting to placing bets on football matches. He publicly apologized and vowed to learn from his mistake.
Newcastle's midfield leader Sandro Tonali (24) was also suspended between October 2023 and August 2024. He was accused of placing numerous bets on his former clubs, such as AC Milan. Both Toney and Tonali are reportedly seeking treatment for gambling addiction, according to transfermarkt.de.
In response to these scandals, the Premier League introduced a new code of conduct for collaboration with sports betting sponsors in July. The code is based on four principles: protection, social responsibility, reinvestment, and integrity.
The ongoing investigation into Paquetá and his uncle has sparked intense discussions in the world of football news. Journalists at The Telegraph are closely monitoring the situation and providing regular updates.
The betting scandal involving Paquetá and others in the football industry highlights the importance of upholding fair play and integrity in sports. Amidst this, regulatory bodies around the world are focusing on implementing stricter rules to prevent such activities.
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