LONDON (Reuters) -West Ham United's Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of four alleged breaches of betting rules after an independent Regulatory Commission hearing, the Football Association said on Thursday.
Last year, the 27-year-old was charged with deliberately seeking to receive a booking during four Premier League games between November 2022 to August 2023 against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Bournemouth.
The FA said it was alleged that Paqueta sought to influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of, or occurrence in those matches by deliberately trying to get booked to manipulate the betting market for the benefit of others.
"Paqueta denied the charges against him, and a Regulatory Commission found them to be not proven following a hearing," the FA said in a statement.
The Brazilian has been charged with two breaches in relation to alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information to the FA investigation.
Paqueta, who was facing the risk of a lifetime ban, denied the alleged spot-fixing charges and expressed frustration over media coverage of the matter, which he said was misleading.
"Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations," Paqueta said in a statement on Thursday.
"I would like to express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face. To my wife, to West Ham United, to the fans who always cheered me on, and to my family, friends and the legal team who have supported me, thank you."
The FA began their investigation of the alleged betting breaches in August 2023. In October last year, Paqueta urged the FA to investigate how information from its case against him had been leaked to the media.
"We are pleased Lucas has been cleared ... as a club we have resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process," West Ham Vice-Chair Karren Brady said.
"Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the club, always giving everything. It has been a difficult time for Lucas and his family, but he has remained absolutely professional throughout."
West Ham, who struggled to a disappointing 14th-place finish last season, begin their 2025–26 Premier League campaign at promoted Sunderland on August 16.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
