Latest news with #spotfixing
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta is baptised as he anxiously awaits verdict for spot-fixing trial which could see him face LIFETIME ban
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta has been baptised amid an anxious wait for the result of his FA spot-fixing trial. The Brazilian has been awaiting a verdict for nearly two years after an investigation into whether he intentionally collected cautions in four Premier League fixtures began in August 2023. Paqueta was charged by the FA in May 2024 and could face a lifetime ban if he is found guilty. The trial cost the 27-year-old a £80million move to Manchester City and West Ham boss Graham Potter admitted it had taken a mental and physical toll on the midfielder. He insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing and his wife Maria Fournier previously claimed the couple have been 'living this nightmare for two years'. The trial finally concluded last week but West Ham were warned it could take another four to eight weeks for Paqueta's fate to be revealed. The 27-year-old was baptised amid an anxious wait for the result of this spot-fixing trial As he nervously waits to see if his Premier League career is over, Paqeuta was baptised in front of his wife and Flamengo forward Pedro Guilherme. Wife Fournier shared snaps of the baptism, which took place in a swimming pool, alongside the caption: 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, EVERYTHING HAS BECOME NEW! 'My husband was born again!!' Paqueta's trial has been described as the most high‑profile corruption case in English football since Bruce Grobbelaar was acquitted of conspiring to fix five Premier League games in a criminal trial 27 years ago. The attacking midfielder could be banned for life if the panel examining the evidence decide he was involved in a conspiracy to collect cards in order to influence betting outcomes. While there is not yet any indication over whether he will be found innocent or guilty once the verdict arrives, West Ham sources have long feared the odds are stacked against them due to the FA's standard of proof being based on a 'balance of probabilities', which is usual in civil cases, as opposed to the more rigorous 'beyond a reasonable doubt' for those accused of criminal offences. Paqueta broke down in tears during one home game with Tottenham towards the end of last season when he received a yellow card, in a sign of the toll being taken on him. He did not start another game for West Ham under manager Potter after that Spurs incident. Mail Sport revealed that Paqueta was being investigated on August 18, 2023 and the FA formally charged him on May 23, 2024 with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing their investigation. Insiders say Paqueta mentally built himself up for the beginning of his hearing on March 17, originally believing it would last no longer than three weeks. However, the scale of the evidence being evaluated meant it was not concluded within that timeframe, and further complications arose when it had to be placed on hiatus, seemingly because of scheduling issues surrounding those involved.
The Guardian
04-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lucas Paquetá spot-fixing trial ends but West Ham unhappy over wait for verdict
Lucas Paquetá's spot-fixing trial has finally concluded but the West Ham midfielder has been told he must wait four to eight weeks for a verdict. The Brazil international faces a possible life ban from football after being charged by the Football Association with four counts of being deliberately booked to influence betting markets and two of failing to cooperate with its investigation. The matter cost Paquetá an £80m transfer to Manchester City two years ago, after the FA opened an investigation, having received information regarding suspicious betting patterns surrounding bookings he had got in four Premier League matches. Paquetá was charged by the FA in May 2024 after a 10-month investigation but the disciplinary proceedings have been beset by delays, to the frustration of the player and his club. The independent commission presiding over the case began the hearing in March but proceedings were adjourned after three weeks because lawyers on both sides had other engagements. The hearing resumed last month. West Ham are unhappy that the matter appears likely to drag for at least another month and disrupt another transfer window, leaving their head coach, Graham Potter, uncertain over whether a key player will be part of his squad next season. Paquetá has denied wrongdoing and has received the strong backing of his club. Sources who have given evidence to the commission and watched all of the proceedings have expressed confidence that the hearing has gone well from Paquetá's point of view, but there is concern at West Ham that the commission can determine guilt based on 'the balance of probabilities' rather than needing to meet the criminal threshold of being convinced 'beyond reasonable doubt'. Paquetá was charged after allegations that he was deliberately booked to earn money for family and friends in Brazil. 'I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me,' he said at the time, his only public comments on the case. 'For nine months I have cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name.' The FA alleges that Paquetá 'directly sought to influence … 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'. The FA's charge sheet is understood to include the recommendation of a life ban if he is found guilty. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion The FA declined to comment.
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Lucas Paqueta's spot-fixing hearing FINALLY ends almost two years after investigation began - as timeline to discover West Ham star's fate is revealed
Lucas Paqueta's FA spot-fixing hearing has finally concluded, with the Brazilian now anxiously awaiting a verdict nearly two years after the investigation began and one which will determine whether he can still call himself a professional footballer. However, senior sources at West Ham are not happy after being warned it could take another four to eight weeks for Paqueta's fate to be revealed, with Mail Sport breaking the news back in August 2023 that the FA were investigating their playmaker for potentially picking up yellow cards on purpose. Speaking anonymously, those Hammers insiders have called for a faster conclusion after his long-awaited hearing, which began nearly three months ago on March 17, ended this week. They say the prolonged wait only adds to the mental anguish on Paqueta, who has struggled to cope with the crushing pressure of his career being on the chopping block, while claiming it is throwing their own transfer plans into serious uncertainty as they head into the summer window. Paqueta, who insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing, faces a potential life ban if the panel examining the evidence decide he was involved in a conspiracy to collect cautions in four Premier League fixtures in order to influence betting outcomes. While there is not yet any indication over whether he will be found innocent or guilty once the verdict arrives, West Ham sources have long feared the odds are stacked against them due to the FA's standard of proof being based on a 'balance of probabilities', which is usual in civil cases, as opposed to the more rigorous 'beyond a reasonable doubt' for those accused of criminal offences. It has been described as the most high‑profile corruption case in English football since Bruce Grobbelaar was acquitted of conspiring to fix five Premier League games in a criminal trial 27 years ago. Paqueta broke down in tears during one home game with Tottenham towards the end of last season when he received a yellow card, in a sign of the toll being taken on him. His wife, Duda, released a statement afterwards describing the last two years as a 'nightmare' for her husband, who did not start another game for West Ham under manager Graham Potter after that Spurs incident. Mail Sport revealed that Paqueta was being investigated on August 18, 2023 and the FA formally charged him on May 23, 2024 with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing their investigation. Insiders say Paqueta mentally built himself up for the beginning of his hearing on March 17, originally believing it would last no longer than three weeks. However, the scale of the evidence being evaluated meant it was not concluded within that timeframe, and further complications arose when it had to be placed on hiatus, seemingly because of scheduling issues surrounding those involved. Paqueta and West Ham must now wait to discover whether he has won his seismic fight after a trial in which David Moyes, his former manager who is now in charge of Everton, even acted as a witness on his behalf in a bid to clear his name. The FA and West Ham were contacted for comment.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Upset Lucas Paqueta becoming ILL due to match fixing probe delay, claims West Ham boss Graham Potter
LUCAS PAQUETA is getting ill and feeling stressed by the delay to his spot-fixing probe. And West Ham boss Graham Potter wants the FA to resolve his case before next season so the club know if he will be part of a rebuild. 2 2 In May 2024, the Brazilian playmaker, 27, was charged with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing an FA investigation. This followed allegations he intentionally got a yellow card for betting purposes in four Prem games between November 2022 and August 2023. The club say they have NO idea when the findings of this will be revealed, so do not know if he will be banned for life or found not guilty. Being in limbo is taking its toll on Paqueta, who denies any wrongdoing, and he broke down in tears of frustration after being booked in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham on May 4. Today's clash against seventh-placed Nottingham Forest is the Hammers' final home match of the season and it could be the last time he ever dons the claret-and-blue colours. He was an unused sub against Manchester United last week with a cold. Potter said: 'The week he had was particularly tough for him personally, which I think everybody can understand. 'And then, as a result of that, he was feeling under the weather on the day before the game at Manchester United and during the game. 'So I didn't want to risk him and make it worse for him. But he's trained really well, he wants to be part of the team to help and we'll see how to use him for the weekend.' When he broke down in tears against Spurs, wife Duda Fournier took to Instagram to express her concerns about her husband's mental state. West Ham star Lucas Paqueta charged with betting breaches She said: 'My husband has a posture and a strength that I admire and impresses me. We have been living this nightmare for two years.' Asked if the situation was taking its toll on Paqueta, Potter replied: 'Obviously, you know what it's like, sometimes you are in stress and pressure, it can manifest itself in a different way.' Asked if he wants clarity by the start of next season, Potter said: 'For everybody concerned, yes. The sooner the better for everyone. 'In fairness to Lucas, he's handled it brilliantly. Generally he's come in and conducted himself in a really good way. He's just ready to help the team. 'I think coming into work is a distraction for him. It takes his mind off things. 'For me, I'm just there to support him, the same with his team-mates.' The FA declined to comment when approached by SunSport. It will be an emotional afternoon in East London also for the likes of Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal and Danny Ings. The quartet, who were part of the 2023 Conference League-winning squad, have not been offered new contracts and will leave this summer. Czech defender Coufal, 32, joined in 2020 from Slavia Prague. And in a message to Hammers fans, he said: 'I knew that once this time would come but I could not imagine how emotional it would be for me and my family. 'I can say with all honesty in my heart that I enjoyed every minute of being at West Ham. I am taking a lot of unforgettable memories with me.' Yet there are NO guarantees any of them will play a role today and be given a proper send-off as Potter is eyeing up a possible 13th-place finish. He added: 'There's a lot at stake in the Premier League in terms of our points and what Forest are fighting for, so we have to make sure we pick the right team to try to win. 'Of course, emotion is always part of football so that can help. But we have to make the decision based on everything to try to win.'
Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
West Ham concerned over Lucas Paqueta's mental state amid spot-fixing case
West Ham United are concerned Lucas Paqueta may not be in a fit state of mind to play again this season. There is growing worry over the toll the prolonged spot-fixing betting case is taking on the Brazilian international. Several of Paqueta's team-mates were alarmed when he burst into tears after being booked during Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur. Captain Jarrod Bowen and referee Michael Oliver were among those to console Paqueta after the incident when he was cautioned for a challenge on Mikey Moore. Paqueta was substituted five minutes later by head coach Graham Potter after he was alerted as to what had happened. Bowen later checked on Paqueta in the dressing room when he was said to be fine. After the match, Potter insisted the emotion came from frustration at West Ham's plight, as they have suffered such a disappointing campaign. Even so senior West Ham figures fear the 27-year-old's behaviour was a sign of how he is being affected by the case and believe consideration should be taken as to whether he should be rested. Telegraph Sport understands that the case against Paqueta, which has been brought by the Football Association, has now resumed and is finally set to be concluded next week. It is then expected that a verdict will be delivered four to five weeks later with the possibility of a further delay if Paqueta is found guilty and a separate hearing is needed to determine the punishment. The case was adjourned early last month after the independent panel presiding over the hearing did not conclude proceedings in an initial allocated three-week slot. It has been suggested the delay before resuming was partly due to lawyers' schedules and their availability. Paqueta withdrew from Brazil's World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Colombia last month so he could take part in the hearing. But he has remained available for all of West Ham's games although there has been concern throughout the season that the case, and how long it is taking, has affected him. Paqueta has continued to act professionally and trained properly for West Ham but his form has fluctuated. Potter must consider whether Paqueta should now play in West Ham's final three league matches – away to Manchester United, at home to Nottingham Forest and away to Ipswich Town. The club has little to play for beyond trying to finish higher than its current position of 17th. Ultimately it will, of course, be for Potter to decide whether it is best to play Paqueta or leave him out. West Ham have continued to back Paqueta, who has steadfastly protested his innocence, in what is one of English football's most high-profile alleged corruption cases. The accusations within the FA charge are the gravest in the game, saying he was 'intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market' and Paqueta has also instructed lawyers after 'false and misleading' leaks about the case. Paqueta was charged with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing an FA investigation in May 2024. But the allegations started in August 2023 which means it is approaching two years since it began. After last Sunday's game Paqueta's wife Duda released a statement describing the whole episode and the time it is taking as a 'nightmare' for her husband. It is alleged that Paqueta was deliberately booked in Premier League games to earn money for family and friends in Brazil. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing and has been supported by West Ham. It is understood that the FA have recommended a lifetime ban for Paqueta if he is found guilty.
