The Football Association (FA) is reportedly seeking a lifetime ban for Lucas Paquetá, a midfielder for West Ham United, following an alleged betting scandal. Paquetá has been charged with breaching FA rules by allegedly getting booked deliberately in several Premier League matches with the intention of affecting the betting market.
These incidents are said to have occurred across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. The FA’s investigation into Paquetá began after suspicious betting patterns were noticed around a booking he received in a match against Bournemouth in August 2023.
The bets were reported to the International Betting Integrity Association, which then alerted FIFA and the FA. Paquetá is accused of intentionally receiving yellow cards in four matches, which could potentially result in a significant ban if he is found guilty.
Paquetá has denied the charges and vowed to fight them, expressing his surprise and upset over the allegations. The potential punishment for such breaches ranges from a six-month suspension to a lifetime ban, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
This case comes after similar instances in English football, including the 10-year ban for Stratford Town defender Kynan Isaac in 2022 for his part in spot-fixing during an FA Cup tie, and a six-year ban for Lincoln City defender Bradley Wood in 2018 for picking up two deliberate yellow cards in FA Cup ties. The outcome of Paquetá’s case could have significant implications for his career, as well as for the wider football community in terms of the handling of such allegations and the enforcement of betting rules.
