FA Decides Not to Appeal Lucas Paqueta's Spot-Fixing Acquittal
The Football Association (FA) has announced that it will not appeal the decision to clear West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta of four spot-fixing charges.
An independent regulatory commission, convened following an FA investigation, concluded that the four charges against Paqueta were "not proven." The written explanation for the commission's findings was released on Wednesday.
The FA emphasized its commitment to maintaining the integrity of football, stating, "Full and thorough investigations will always be conducted into serious allegations of rule breaches."
The investigation into Paqueta began in August 2023, after the Brazil international was charged in May 2022 for allegedly receiving a booking intentionally "for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market."
The charges related to a Premier League match against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, and subsequent fixtures against Aston Villa on March 12, Leeds United on May 21, and Bournemouth on August 12, 2023.
In addition to the spot-fixing charges, Paqueta faced two counts of failing to cooperate with the investigation, which pertained to breaches of "FA Rule F3" related to the provision of information and documents. He denied these charges; however, the regulatory commission found them to be proven.
The FA indicated that the regulatory commission will determine an appropriate sanction for the breaches of FA Rule F3 that were substantiated, and further details will be published as soon as possible.
Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon for an initial fee of £36.5 million in August 2022 and played a pivotal role in helping the club secure victory in the Europa Conference League during his debut season.