West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing charges and will face no punishment from the Football Association.
Paqueta was accused of trying to get himself booked to influence betting markets so that friends and family could benefit.
The Brazil international was cautioned in games against Leicester, Aston Villa and Leeds in the 2002-23 season and against Bournemouth the season after. Each game was the subject of suspicious betting patterns, with most traced to Paquetá Island off the coast of Rio de Janeiro where the player was born and from which he takes his name.
Paqueta charged with four breaches
The 27-year-old was charged with four breaches of FA Rule E5.1 which relate to a player seeking 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.”
Paqueta denied the charges and an independent Regulatory Commission has found in his favour.
Two further charges of “alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information to the FA’s investigation” were upheld, however, with the Regulatory Commission now having to decide on an appropriate sanction.
more to follow
