West Ham star expresses relief at ‘not proven’ findings
FA finds against him for failing to help investigation
Lucas Paquetá has been cleared of spot-fixing following a two-year investigation by the Football Association. The West Ham midfielder was charged with four counts of being deliberately booked to influence betting markets on Premier League games in May 2024, but the independent regulatory commission that heard the case has found the charges to be not proven.
Paquetá – who had faced a life ban – has asserted his innocence since being made aware the FA had been alerted to suspicious betting patterns around bookings he received in four Premier League games while playing for West Ham in 2022 and 2023, an investigation that led to the collapse of a proposed £85m move to Manchester City in August 2023. The 27-year-old has continued to play for West Ham and Brazil, who have supported him throughout the process.
“Since the first day of this investigation I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations,” Paquetá said. “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.”
