Lucas Paqueta, the West Ham midfielder will not be on the Brazilian World Cup qualifiers squad against Peru and Bolivia scheduled for September.
This is due to an ongoing betting investigation by the FA and FIFA around allegations of Paqueta’s involvement in placing bets on games. Most importantly on whether or not he received bookings.
Paqueta has strongly denied participating in any betting activities and is reportedly surprised by the allegations brought against him.
What is FIFA’s rule against betting?
Keep in mind that players betting on football games, competitions, and other football-related events is prohibited by FIFA’s Code of Ethics.
If Paqueta is found guilty, he will likely face a fine of at least CHF 100,000 and a three-year ban from football-related activities.
Fernando Diniz, the current head coach of Brazil, expressed his support for Paqueta. He said.
“Paqueta was on the list. He’s a player I like a lot. It’s time for him to resolve these issues. People need time to sort out these issues. He’s a player I love.”
Last season, Paqueta received nine bookings while representing both his club and country. Notably, an £80 million deal for Paqueta’s transfer to Manchester City is reportedly close to being finalized. For now, he remains focused on his commitment to playing for West Ham.
