West Ham Midfielder Cleared Of Betting Charges
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing charges by an independent regulatory commission ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
Paqueta was charged with four alleged breaches of FA rules in relation to matches involving the Premier League side.
The four charges against him related to a Premier League game against Leicester City on 12 November 2022, as well as 2023 fixtures against Aston Villa on 12 March, Leeds United on 21 May and Bournemouth on 12 August.
According to reports, It was alleged that he directly sought to influence matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.
He denied the charges and the independent regulatory commission found the charges not proven following a hearing.
The Football Association said two charges against Paqueta related to a failure to cooperate with its investigation had been found proven.
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It said a commission would decide on an appropriate sanction for those proven breaches “at the earliest opportunity”.
Paqueta expressed his appreciation to West Ham, the club’s supporters for their support during the investigations.
He said: “Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations.
“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.”
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Several Premier League players have been banned for breaching bet rules in the past.
Kieran Trippier was banned for 10 weeks in 2020 for giving out information for others to bet on his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid.
In 2023, Ivan Toney was suspended for eight months in 2023 for 232 breaches between 2017 and 2021, when he represented Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and Brentford.
In 2024, Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali was given a suspended two-month ban after admitting to placing between 40 and 50 bets after joining the club from AC Milan.
West Ham will open their 2025-26 Premier League campaign against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on August 16.