During last Sunday’s solidarity game, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Ednaldo Rodrigues, was approached about the allegations involving midfielder Lucas Paquetá. According to the English Federation, Paquetá had violated rules of conduct related to betting, revealing four infractions in Premier League matches.
When asked about the possibility of excluding the player from the Copa América, Ednaldo stated that the discussion is scheduled to take place after the Technical Council meeting with the 20 Series A clubs.
The president of the CBF declared: “On Tuesday, the CBF will discuss (the case) with the legal and compliance directors, but, in principle, there is no conviction against the athlete, just indications. We will listen to all the possibilities “, he said.
The English Federation alleges that Paquetá tried to influence the outcome of matches, seeking to receive yellow cards with the aim of manipulating the betting market. The player, in turn, vehemently denied the accusations, stating that he cooperated with the investigations and is determined to clear his name.
On his Instagram, Lucas Paquetá stated: “I am surprised and upset by the FA’s decision to charge me. I fully cooperated with the investigation and deny the accusations. I will fight to prove my innocence.”
The English Federation gave the player until June 3rd to respond to the accusations, subject to possible requests for an extension. The CBF, in turn, will wait for the investigations to be completed before taking any official action in relation to the athlete.
Understand the case of Lucas Paquetá
The English Football Association has launched an investigation into Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá due to suspected breaches of conduct related to sports betting.
The player faces accusations of influencing the outcome of matches, seeking to receive yellow cards in order to benefit betting schemes.
Investigations indicate that Paquetá and striker Luis Henrique, formerly of Betis and currently at Botafogo, received yellow cards in specific games, which caught the attention of the authorities due to an unusual volume of bets involving these matches.
People close to the player placed bets on the island of Paquetá, Rio de Janeiro. After nine months of analysis, the English Federation denounced the player. If found guilty, he could be banned from English football.
However, Paquetá claims innocence and has until June 3 to present his defense. So far, the investigation is limited to English football, allowing the player to continue defending the Brazilian team in the Copa América.
However, the Brazilian Football Confederation is analyzing the case, and the player has faced previous removals from the national team due to this situation.
The Brazilian team’s debut in the Copa América will be on June 28th against Costa Rica, in Los Angeles.
