West Ham United Midfielder Lucas Paqueta Faces A Long-Term BAN From Football.

• West Ham midfielder Paqueta could be facing a lengthy ban (10-year) ban from football after being charged by the Football Association for allegedly getting booked deliberately "for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market".

• The potential penalties range from six months to a lifetime ban, so the seriousness of the situation cannot be underestimated.

Paqueta, who joined West Ham from Lyon for an initial £36.5m in August 2022, has been accused of deliberately getting booked in an attempt to influence betting markets.

He was booked nine times for club and country last season. This campaign, he was shown 15 yellow cards in 45 games for West Ham and Brazil.

The bets were reported to the International Betting Integrity Association who alerted FIFA and the FA.

Paquetá had been under investigation since last summer over suspicious betting patterns, and has now been charged with four counts of spot-fixing in Premier League games on Thursday.

The four charges relate to a Premier League game against Leicester City on 12 November in 2022, plus 2023 fixtures against Aston Villa on 12 March, Leeds United on 21 May and Bournemouth on 12 August.

These charges came on the same day the Hammers confirmed the appointment of Julen Lopetegui as their new manager following the departure of David Moyes.

An FA statement said: "It's alleged that he [Paqueta] directly sought to influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of, or occurrence in these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting."

According to Mail Sport, a proposed £80 million summer transfer to join Manchester City has already fallen through, with the league champions withdrawing their interest as a huge ban is inevitable if Paquetá is found guilty of any of the charges.

The 26-year-old Brazilian who has been called up by Brazil's head coach Dorival Junior in the squad for the Copa America next month, has until June 3 to respond to the charge of "misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of FA Rules E5 and F3" subject to any request for an extension to this deadline.

"I am extremely surprised and upset" by the charges of the FA... The midfielder wrote on X.

"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." 

 

West Ham United on the other hand have decided to stand by their player Paqueta who has three years left on his contract. 

"The club acknowledges receipt of the FA charge received by Lucas Paqueta for alleged breaches of their rules," a club statement said.

"Lucas categorically denies the breach and will continue to robustly defend his position.

"The club will continue to stand by and support the player throughout the process and will make no further comment until the matter is concluded."

In 2022, Former Reading defender Kynan Isaac was given a career-ending 10-year ban from football for a betting scheme with his friends, and deliberately getting booked while playing for Stratford Town in an FA Cup first-round tie against Shrewsbury.

Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney served an eight-month ban for betting breaches, some of which involved his own team to lose, but not in games he was playing in.

In 2020 England defender Kieran Trippier was banned for 10 weeks for advising a friend he was about to join Atletico Madrid.