During a press conference held this Wednesday, West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta opened up about how the ongoing investigation into his alleged breaches of the Football Association’s and FIFA’s betting rules has affected him. He could not disclose details about the probe itself as he has been instructed to stay silent, but he did stress that he is cooperating with investigators to the best of his abilities so as to contribute towards the case’s resolution.
Last year, the BBC revealed that, according to sources, Paqueta had been put under investigation for potential sports betting misconduct. The situation put a halt to the player’s then-planned £80 million transfer to Manchester City, and the supposed violations involved bets on yellow cards. Paqueta expressed his shock at the allegations at the time and denied guilt.
Paqueta told the press on Wednesday that the situation has been difficult for him. He also said, however, that he has “grown a lot mentally” in the past seven months. Paqueta continued, placing an emphasis on how he has “left behind” everything that does not involve football, is prioritising training, and is working towards improving his performance.
Although Paqueta was temporarily suspended from playing for Brazil due to the investigation, the past months have not been uneventful for the player, as he has been a consistent pick by David Moyes for West Ham.
When asked about how he felt about Moyes’ support, Paqueta responded by saying that he “has a good relationship with him” and that West Ham’s boss had wanted Paqueta on the team due to his performance in the previous season. Paqueta also stressed that Moyes’ support was essential in making it possible for him to “leave all this behind.”
On a further positive note, Paqeuta will play for Brazil during the upcoming friendlies against England and Spain, with the former being set to take place this Saturday.
Sports Betting: An Ongoing Issue Among UK Football Players
Although the investigation is yet to conclude and whether Paqueta is guilty or innocent remains unclear, situations that resemble Paqueta’s own, i.e. that involve supposed or proven gambling that violates football regulations, are anything but a rarity in British and international football.
This year was kicked off with around half a dozen notices of alleged betting misconduct, which were listed under the Football Association’s monthly report on disciplinary charges, responses, and suspensions. In addition, last month, Newcastle United FC player Jude Smith was one of several players to be charged with misconduct surrounding sports betting.
Whether this year will be just as, if not more, eventful as 2023 in terms of sports betting issues for UK football remains to be seen. A number of high-profile players got in trouble with the Football Association and other regulators over sports betting allegations last year, of which one was Ivan Toney. Casino Guardian recently covered Toney’s return to playing after a lengthy eight-month suspension. In his case, the suspension was handed in light of definitive proof of his having partaken in betting on various occasions, and it was later revealed that he had also been struggling with gambling addiction.
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Daniel Williams
