Ghanaian defender Alexander Djiku is the most recent footballer to face punishment for sports betting.
The Black Stars defender has been handed a one-match ban in France by the Professional Football League (LFP) for engaging in sports betting activities.
Though born in France, the 28-year-old opted to represent Ghana at the international level and was part of the Otto Addo-led team that represented the West African country at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Strasbourg defender made his Black Stars debut in 2020 and has since made 20 appearances, including two at the World Cup.
Djiku is one of 76 players, coaches, and team directors in the French League being handed sanctions by the LFP due to their involvement in sports betting, following an investigation into the 2020–2021 season.
The defender will miss his club side’s clash against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain when the French Ligue 1 resumes after the break on December 28.
In all football leagues in the world, players and officials are prohibited from engaging in betting, whether on matches they are involved in or not.
The LFP released a statement reiterating their commitment to eradicating sports betting in French football and further explaining that sanctions will continue to be doled out to offenders.
“These offenses were committed even though, together, the LFP and the UNFP (the players’ union) have carried out awareness or information campaigns with the clubs on a daily basis.”
“The Commission recalls that the actors of the competitions organized by the FFF or the LFP (in particular the players, coaches, managers of professional football clubs) have a general ban on betting, online or in physical networks, on all football competitions, whether domestic or foreign.” the statement continued.
However, Djiku is not the only African international on the list, as French-born Cameroonian defender Jean-Charles Castelleto was also found guilty.
The Nantes defender received a four-match conditional suspension for his part in the violation of the rules prohibiting players from partaking in sports betting.
