English FA charges Lucas Paqueta over match-fixing allegations

The FA has charged the West Ham United player with misconduct.

UK.- The Football Association has charged West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta for allegedly intentionally attempting to get booked in order to influence betting. The Brazilian player has received four charges of misconduct in breach of A Rule E5.1 relating to four Premier League matches between November 2022 and August 2023.

Paqueta has until June 3 to respond to the charges. On Instagram, he denied wrongdoing and expressed surprise at the decision.

He wrote: “I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me. For nine months, I have co-operated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny all 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.”

One of the games cited was the season opener against Bournemouth. The FA began an investigation due to allegedly suspicious betting patterns on a stoppage-time yellow card. It’s been reported that Paqueta was interviewed by the FA in September and provided access to his phone.

Earlier this month, the Football Association handed Sandro Tonali a suspended two-month ban after the midfielder admitted to 50 charges of breaching FA Rule E8 by betting on football matches between August 12 and October 12, 2023. The breaches included four instances in which Tonali bet on his own team, Newcastle United. Last year, it banned Ivan Toney for eight months over a breach of betting rules.