Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has been handed a two-month suspension from all football activities in Italy following his involvement in a betting scandal that rocked his club, Udinese.
The sanction was delivered on Tuesday by an Italian sports tribunal after months of investigation into suspicious betting patterns.
The 25-year-old shot-stopper came under scrutiny in January when the Udine prosecutor’s office launched an inquiry into “anomalous bets” placed during one of Udinese’s Serie A fixtures in the 2023/24 season.
According to investigators, Snai, a leading Italian betting company, flagged unusual betting activity surrounding Okoye’s performance in the March 11, 2024 clash against Lazio.
An abnormal volume of bets had been placed on Okoye to receive a booking in the match. The Nigerian international was eventually cautioned for time-wasting in the 64th minute. Udinese went on to secure a 2-1 victory, but the timing of the yellow card – just 19 minutes into the second half – triggered suspicions of possible foul play.
Italian authorities also investigated Diego Giordano, a 40-year-old pizzeria owner in Udine, for his alleged role in the scandal. However, while the tribunal imposed the suspension on Okoye, it cleared him of more serious allegations linked to match-fixing or unsporting conduct.
Reacting to the ruling, Udinese issued a statement describing the ban as “based solely on a violation of the general principle of fair play.” The club stressed that all charges of match-fixing against Okoye had been dismissed.
“The club expresses its satisfaction with the player’s proven complete non-involvement in the infamous match-fixing theory. The club can only reiterate its full support for Okoye, who awaits the ruling’s reasons. Udinese Calcio reiterates its full confidence in Maduka’s proper conduct.”the statement read
Okoye’s ban is set to commence on August 18, coinciding with Udinese’s first official fixture of the new season, a Coppa Italia tie against Carrarese. The Nigerian goalkeeper will be sidelined for six Serie A matches and is expected to return to competitive action on October 18.
