Lucas Paqueta Reprimanded for FA Investigation Non-Compliance
West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been reprimanded and warned regarding his future conduct, though he has not been fined, following his failure to comply with a Football Association investigation into allegations of spot-fixing.
In July, an independent regulatory commission cleared the Brazilian playmaker of four charges related to claims that he deliberately received bookings in four separate matches during 2022 and 2023 for the improper purpose of influencing the betting market.
However, the 28-year-old was found guilty of two breaches of FA Rule F3 for failing to comply with a requirement to answer questions and provide information during the FA's investigation.
Paqueta provided “no comment” responses to most questions in two interviews conducted by the FA prior to any charges being filed against him.
In its written decision released on Friday, the independent commission acknowledged that Paqueta was acting on legal advice throughout the process but emphasized that, as a participant, he has an obligation to respect and adhere to the regulations.
The commission noted that while the initial sanction considered was a financial penalty, several mitigating factors contributed to the decision not to impose a fine.
Among these factors were Paqueta's “limited knowledge of English” and the expectation that, without legal training, he would naturally follow the guidance of his club's appointed counsel.
The commission also pointed out that the FA appeared uninterested in Paqueta's input during the second interview, despite his offer to answer questions arising from new disclosures made after the first interview.
It was further noted that Paqueta complied with the request for information by providing a witness statement on December 15, 2023, and had previously volunteered his mobile devices for examination. The commission remarked that this effort occurred prior to any charges being brought and did not impede the investigation, with no evidence of prejudice presented by the FA.
Additionally, the commission took into account the significant legal fees incurred by Paqueta during the case and the mental stress he experienced due to the severe nature of the allegations against him.
“We recognize that part of the mental stress he faced stemmed from the realization that, had the spot-fixing charges been substantiated, his football career would likely have been jeopardized,” the commission concluded.