West Ham midfielder Lucas Paketa has been exempt from violating the Football Association betting rules after a regulatory board investigation.
The 27-year-old was charged with violating FA Rule E5.1 in May 2024 and was accused of intentionally obtaining a reservation on November 12, 2023 with equipment against Leicester City.
Now, after a long-term investigation, the regulatory board has discovered that the charges were “unproven,” and the threat of banning the possibility of career termination has been lifted.
Paketa said he was “eager to go back to playing football with a smile on my face” after “a very serious charge” rose against him.
“From the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these very serious accusations,” he said.
“I can’t say anything more at this point, but I want to express how grateful I am to God and how enthusiastic I am to play football with a smile on my face.
West Ham said he was “happy” to have the player cleared and emphasized “an incredible pressure on him.”
“We’re delighted that Lucas has been cleared,” said Karen Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United. “He maintained his innocence from the start, and as a club we stood firm by his side and supported him throughout the process.
“Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has always given up on a week a week for the club and has given it everything. It’s been a difficult time for Lucas and his family, but he has remained absolutely professional throughout and is looking forward to drawing the line under this episode, as everyone at West Ham United does.”
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However, Paqueta is exempt from the most serious crimes, but he was found to be guilty of the FA’s Rule F3 and complying with his obligation to answer questions and provide information to the FA’s investigation.
The FA stated: “The Regulatory Commission will determine the earliest opportunity to properly sanction for these violations.
“The FA is awaiting written reasons from the Regulatory Commission in connection with the decision on the charges and will not comment further until then.”
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