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West Ham United Forward Lucas Paqueta Cleared of Spot-Fixing Charges
West Ham United forward Lucas Paqueta has been exonerated of all four spot-fixing charges by the English Football Association (FA) following a lengthy investigation. The FA's independent Regulatory Commission found the allegations against Paqueta "not proven" due to insufficient evidence that he intentionally influenced matches for betting purposes.
The investigation, which began in August 2022, accused Paqueta of deliberately getting yellow cards in four Premier League matches to benefit bettors. However, Paqueta consistently denied wrongdoing and expressed his relief at the outcome, emphasizing his maintained innocence throughout the process. West Ham United expressed strong support for him during the investigation, noting his professionalism despite the pressure.
The commission’s detailed reasons for the decision have not yet been published, and a separate process will determine the sanction for the cooperation breaches. This case is considered one of the longest in FA history, and its conclusion marks the player's exoneration from the most serious charges.
Meanwhile, in the world of American football, Louis Rees-Zammit, a former Wales winger, has ended his NFL bid and is returning to rugby union. Rees-Zammit was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2022 but was later left off their roster for the season. In August 2022, he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad before signing to their active roster in February 2023. However, his NFL career was short-lived, and he has now decided to return to rugby union.
In other sports news, the Baltimore Ravens have reached out to Michael Phelps, a 23-time Olympic swimming champion, for swimming lessons due to one in three Ravens reportedly being unable to swim. Marlon Humphrey, Ronnie Stanley, Kyle Hamilton, and Charlie Kolar are among the Ravens players seeking swimming lessons from Phelps, as indicated by his social media response.
Lastly, in rugby union, Billy Pollard has been promoted to start at hooker for Australia's third Test against the British and Irish Lions due to David Porecki's leg injury. Matt Faessler is out of today's match due to a calf muscle injury, necessitating Brandon Paenga-Amosa's drafting into the lineup. This is Pollard's 10th Test start for Australia, having moved into the starting XV off the bench.
[1] BBC Sport, "Lucas Paqueta cleared of spot-fixing charges by FA", 14 September 2023. [2] Sky Sports, "Lucas Paqueta found not guilty of spot-fixing charges by FA", 14 September 2023. [3] The Guardian, "Lucas Paqueta cleared of spot-fixing charges by FA", 14 September 2023.
- While Lucas Paqueta's spot-fixing charges were cleared, a shift in sports was seen as Louis Rees-Zammit, a former Wales winger, ended his NFL bid and returned to rugby union.
- In a surprising turn of events, the Baltimore Ravens have sought swimming lessons from Michael Phelps, the 23-time Olympic swimming champion, due to a high number of players reportedly unable to swim.
- The European football landscape continued its buzz with the promotion of Billy Pollard to start at hooker for Australia's third Test against the British and Irish Lions, filling in for the injured David Porecki.
