West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing allegations by an independent regulatory commission, bringing an end to a long-running investigation launched by the Football Association, Afrosport reports.
The Brazil international had been under scrutiny since August 2023, when the FA opened a case into claims that he intentionally received yellow cards to influence the betting market. The charges related to bookings received in Premier League matches against Leicester City (12 November 2022), Aston Villa (12 March 2023), Leeds United (21 May 2023), and Bournemouth (12 August 2023).
The 27-year-old consistently denied any wrongdoing, with reports suggesting that the bets in question were relatively minor and allegedly placed by individuals close to him, including friends and family members.
The FA had initially pursued a lifetime ban for the midfielder, but after a detailed hearing, the independent panel ruled that the four spot-fixing charges were “not proven”, effectively clearing Paqueta of the most serious allegations.
“Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations,” he said. “I can’t say anything more at this time, but I would like to express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.
“To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham United, to the fans who always cheered me on, and to my family, friends and the legal team who have supported me – thank you for everything.”
West Ham Vice-Chair Karren Brady added: “We are pleased Lucas has been cleared. He has maintained his innocence from the outset, and as a Club we have resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process.
“Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the Club, always giving everything. It has been a difficult time for Lucas and his family, but he has remained absolutely professional throughout and he is now looking forward to drawing a line under this episode, as is everyone at West Ham United.”
However, the Brazilian was found guilty of two lesser charges related to non-cooperation during the investigation. He was deemed to have failed to fully comply with requests for information and documents, and the commission is expected to determine an appropriate sanction for these breaches in due course.
Paqueta, who joined West Ham in August 2022 from Lyon, has 18 goals and 14 assists in 120 games for the Hammers, including scoring four times in 33 league games last season.
He was on target on Wednesday night in the Premier League Summer Series as Graham Porter’s men secured a 2-1 comeback win over Everton at Soldier Field in Chicago.
