Udinese and Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been cleared of all match-fixing charges by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) but will serve a two-month suspension for violating the principle of fairness, MySportDab Reports.
The 25-year-old was under investigation after allegedly picking up a yellow card for time-wasting during a Serie A match against Lazio in March 2024.
Reports claimed that the incident was linked to a betting scheme involving a friend who won €120,000 from the booking. However, following a thorough review by the FIGC’s National Federal Court, the allegations of sporting misconduct were dismissed.
Udinese confirmed the ruling in a statement on Tuesday, stating: “The FIGC has excluded any involvement of the player in sports offences, after accepting the arguments of his lawyers.
All charges of alleged sporting misconduct were dropped, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was based solely on a violation of the general principle of fairness.”
Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code, which deals with fairness and ethical behavior, formed the basis of the disciplinary action.
Despite the ban, Udinese reaffirmed their support for the Nigerian shot-stopper: “The club is satisfied with the court’s conclusion that the player was not involved in the infamous match-fixing theory. We reiterate our full support for Okoye and remain convinced of his proper conduct.”
Okoye, who joined Udinese in 2023, will be suspended from August 18 to October 19. As a result, he will miss seven matches—six in Serie A and one in the Coppa Italia.
The FIGC concluded that there was no attempt to influence the outcome of the match, an offense that could have led to a four-year ban. Okoye now awaits the official reasoning behind the decision.
