Key points:
- Paqueta continues to deny the charges against him
- Midfielder has raised concern about “misleading and inaccurate press articles”
- He has been summoned to testify before the CPI in Brazil this month
Lucas Paqueta has taken to social media to voice concern with coverage of the ongoing betting case against him.
In May of this year, the West Ham midfielder was charged by the English Football Association (FA) with four breaches of the governing bodies’ betting rules.
It was alleged that he had intentionally tried to get booked by the referee in four separate Premier League fixtures between November 2022 and August 2023, to affect the betting market for “one of more persons to profit from betting.”
Paqueta has denied the allegations throughout the process, and on top of the FA’s probe has been summoned to testify before the Sport Betting CPI in Brazil at the end of this month via a video conference.
A statement released by the player today underlined that he continues to deny the charges against him while also voicing concern over what he has called “misleading and inaccurate press articles” surrounding the case, questioning how the information is being found and how this information may affect the case.
In the statement published on his X (formerly Twitter) account Paqueta said: “I am frustrated and upset to have read recent misleading and inaccurate press articles, published in both England and Brazil, claiming to disclose information about my case. Some of that information is entirely false and appears designed to undermine my position.
“I am also concerned that, although they are false and misleading, these articles are clearly sourced from an individual close to the case. The FA proceedings are supposed to be confidential, and they are extremely serious for me and my family. The continued leaking and publication of inaccurate information in the press is now putting at risk my chance of receiving fair hearing.
“I have, therefore, instructed my lawyers to write to The FA to request that they conduct a thorough investigation into how information about the case, even if inaccurate, is finding its way into the public domain. I continue to deny the charges against me and look forward to demonstrating my innocence.”
