Lucas Paquetá, the West Ham and Brazil midfielder, has avoided any disciplinary action regarding match-fixing after the Football Association's (FA) independent regulatory commission found insufficient evidence to support the claims. In May 2024, the FA charged Paquetá with four violations of Rule E5.1, alleging that he intentionally received four bookings during Premier League matches while playing for West Ham between November 2022 and August 2023.
Rule E5.1 prohibits participants from trying to influence the outcome, progression, or conduct of a football match for improper purposes. Paquetá has continuously maintained that he did not seek to gain bookings to manipulate betting markets.
Although the FA could not substantiate the match-fixing allegations, Paquetá was found guilty of two breaches of FA Rule F3 for failing to comply with obligations to answer questions and provide information during the investigation. The commission is expected to determine a sanction for these breaches at the “earliest opportunity.”
Following the FA's announcement, Paquetá expressed his gratitude on Instagram, thanking his family, legal team, and West Ham for their support throughout the process. He remarked on his relief and eagerness to return to the pitch.
West Ham's vice-chair Karen Brady released a statement acknowledging the commission's decision and praised Paquetá's professionalism amid the intense scrutiny. She noted that Paquetá had maintained high performance for the club throughout the investigation, emphasizing the challenges he has faced. Just hours before the FA's decision, Paquetá scored in a pre-season friendly against Everton, which ended in a 2-1 victory for West Ham.
