Spanish police detained Sevilla defender Kike Salas, accused of manipulating games to favor bettors. According to El Confidencial, he had received yellow cards intentionally, benefiting a group that profited from these punishments.
The investigation is in charge of the Morón Court, in Seville, and involves a possible sports fraud scheme. The accusation points out that Kike Salas, 22, was acting in collusion with close friends to manipulate events on the field.
Investigation of the Kike Salas case in progress
The player gave a statement and returned to training. La Liga will summon the defender to provide clarification. Since November, Salas has been an absolute starter at Sevilla, which occupies 13th place in the Spanish Championship table.
According to the reports, two young people from the athlete’s “circle of trust” are also under investigation. The scheme would have worked with the defender forcing yellow cards in official games so that bets made by his acquaintances would yield a profit.
Last season, Kike Salas accumulated 10 yellow cards in La Liga. Interestingly, seven of these punishments occurred in the last eight matches he played. According to El Confidencial, many of these cards came in bids in the final minutes of the matches, generating suspicion among investigators.
The Spanish police, specialized in combating illegal betting, are collecting additional evidence to expand actions against the group. The objective is to confirm the participation of others involved and prevent new similar cases from occurring.
Comparison with the Lucas Paquetá case
The Kike Salas case recalls the accusations that fell on West Ham player Lucas Paquetá. Between November 2022 and August 2023, Paquetá was accused of forcing yellow cards in four games.
Around 60 people would have bet that the Brazilian would be warned in these matches. The player will be heard in England in March.
But these episodes reinforce the importance of strict measures to prevent sports betting from compromising the integrity of football.
So, if convicted, Kike Salas could face a sentence of six months to three years in prison for fraud. Recently, the player renewed his contract with Sevilla until 2029, which highlights his value to the club. However, complaints put your reputation at risk.
Therefore, the investigation continues and the outcome of this case could bring important lessons about the boundaries between sports and betting. Meanwhile, the sports community awaits more details and clarifications.
