Lucas Paquetá Cleared of Spot-Fixing, Faces Sanction

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paquetá has been cleared of all spot-fixing and betting-related misconduct charges by an independent FA Regulatory Commission after a two-year investigation. He was accused of deliberately seeking yellow cards in four Premier League matches between November 2022 and August 2023 to manipulate betting markets and faced a potential lifetime ban if found guilty. The commission found the allegations unproven, but did rule that Paquetá failed to fully comply with the FA's investigation, for which a sanction is pending. Paquetá and West Ham consistently maintained his innocence throughout the process, and the club publicly supported him. After the verdict, Paquetá thanked his family, club, fans, and legal team, expressing relief to move forward. The decision is seen as a significant vindication for Paquetá following a high-profile probe.