In an official statement released by the FA in May last year, Paquetá was accused of violating conduct rules related to sports betting in matches against Leicester City on November 12, 2022; Aston Villa on March 12, 2023; Leeds United on May 21, 2023—all from last season; and Bournemouth on August 12, 2023, the opening match of the 2023/24 season. He received a yellow card in all four games in question.
As soon as he was charged, on May 23, Paquetá took to his social media to fully deny the accusations.
"I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me. I have cooperated with every step of the investigation and have provided all the information I could over these nine months. I deny the charges in full and will fight with all my strength to clear my name. Due to the ongoing process, I will not be making any further comments."
The violations and the risk of a ban
Lucas Paquetá was accused of four violations of the FA’s Rule E5.1 regarding his conduct in four Premier League matches. This rule states that a player "shall not, directly or indirectly, seek to influence for improper purposes the result, progress, conduct, or any other aspect or occurrence in connection with a match or competition."
According to FA documentation, betting-related offenses are separate and distinct from match-fixing charges. However, if it can be proven that a bet influenced the outcome or progress of a match, the charge is specific and not merely a betting offense. A player found guilty of interfering with the result or course of a match could face a lifetime ban.
According to the FA, the allegation is that Paquetá "sought to directly influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect or occurrence in these matches, intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market so that one or more individuals could profit from bets."
The FA does not specify in its disciplinary regulations the range of sanctions for violating Rule E5.1. However, in cases involving the use of insider information for betting purposes, a player can face a suspension ranging from six months to a lifetime ban, along with a fine.
The FA’s regulatory commission will assess whether Paquetá has provided information and assistance to the relevant authorities. This could potentially mitigate any punishment for violations.
In May last year, the FA also stated that the Brazilian was accused of two violations of Rule F3, which could constitute misconduct in responding to inquiries and providing documents.
Source: ge
