Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye faces a ban of as long as four years if he is found guilty of illegal betting.
The Udinese shot stopper is now being investigated for allegedly betting on his own yellow card in a match against Lazio on March 11, 2024.
Okoye is currently sidelined after surgery to his wrist recently.
Okoye, 25, is reportedly being investigated by the Udine Prosecutor’s Office for a flow of anomalous bets during the Lazio-Udinese match played on 11 March, The ‘Messaggero Veneto’ reported.
The owner of a pizzeria regularly frequented by the players and, occasionally, also by the managers of Udinese was also included among the suspects.
The two suspects are accused of fraud.
The investigation was triggered by a report from Sisal regarding a series of bets for significant amounts linked to the warning of the Juventus goalkeeper during the match won in Rome 2-1.
Okoye was booked by the referee in the 19th minute of the second half for time wasting.
And there would already be an investigation by the FIGC prosecutor’s office – ANSA learnt.
The FIGC file, among other things, was opened because the prosecutor’s office led by Giuseppe Chiné had received a report on anomalous flows of bets on the yellow cards of the player in question.
According to ANSA, it was in fact the sports justice body of the football federation that informed the Udine prosecutor’s office months ago, from which it has now requested the documents in order to be able to move forward with its investigation
