West Ham United can breath a sigh of relief after the Football Association cleared midfielder Lucas Paqueta of any wrongdoing in a betting charge investigation.
There were claims that the Brazilian intentionally got booked in four separate matches and had been under investigation for the past two years.
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The FA have now disclosed that an independent panel concluded there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations – although the West Ham and Brazil midfielder has been charged for not cooperating with the FA’s inquiry.
Initiated in August 2023, the FA’s investigation centred on suspicions of spot-fixing involving the Hammers’ creative force during Premier League games spanning from November 2022 to August 2023. Paqueta was formally accused in May 2024, and the hearing, which experienced delays, spanned from March to June this year.
While it was never insinuated that Paqueta himself placed bets, there were claims that his acquaintances and relatives in Brazil gained financially from wagers on him receiving yellow cards.
The yellow cards under investigation were issued during matches against Leicester in November 2022, Aston Villa in March 2023, Leeds in May 2023 and Bournemouth in August 2023.
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