London [UK], July 31 : West United on Thursday confirmed that Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of misconduct charges by an independent Regulatory Commission.
The Football Association (FA) charged Paqueta for alleged breaches of FA rule E5. The 27-year-old has been under investigation since 2023 and was charged with spot fixing in May 2024.
It was alleged that he deliberately picked up four yellow cards in Premier League matches against Leicester City on November 12, 2022; Aston Villa on March 12, 2023; Leeds United on May 21, 2023; and AFC Bournemouth on August 12, 2023.
Paqueta denied all the charges throughout the process, and if he was found guilty, he would have received a lifetime ban from football. Paqueta was also charged with two breaches of FA Rule F3 about alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information to The FA's investigation.
Paqueta had denied the charges against him. However, the Regulatory Commission found them to be proven following the hearing. The Regulatory Commission confirmed that an appropriate sanction for these breaches would be imposed at the "earliest opportunity".
"Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations. I can't say anything more at this time, but 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 who never let go of my hand, 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 for everything," Paqueta said in a statement released by West Ham United.
West Ham United Vice-Chair Karren Brady expressed her delight at the verdict and said, "We are pleased Lucas has been cleared. He has maintained his innocence from the outset, and as a Club we have resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process."
"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, and he is now looking forward to drawing a line under this episode, as is everyone at West Ham United," he concluded.
The FA confirmed that they are awaiting the Regulatory Commission's written reasons about its decisions on the charges and will not comment further until that time.