West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of all spot-fixing charges by an independent regulatory commission.
The decision comes nearly two years after the Football Association (FA) launched an investigation into the Brazilian international.
Despite this major win, the 27-year-old still faces a sanction for failing to cooperate with the FA’s inquiry, as two related charges were found proven.
The FA’s investigation, which began in August 2023, accused Paqueta of deliberately getting booked in four Premier League matches to influence betting markets.
Had he been found guilty, he faced a potential lifetime ban. However, the commission found these four serious charges to be “not proven.”
Paqueta expressed his relief, stating, “Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations.” He added his eagerness to return to playing football.
West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady confirmed the club’s satisfaction with the verdict, noting they “resolutely stood by” Paqueta throughout the difficult process.
