Nigeria and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is under investigation by the Udine Public Prosecutor’s Office over suspicious betting patterns around a yellow card he received during a Serie A match against Lazio in March 2024, with the Super Eagles star facing a possible four-year ban if found guilty, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, betting agency Sisal detected unusual gambling activities through their algorithms, with an abnormal amount of bets placed on Okoye receiving a booking during the match.
The 25-year-old was cautioned for time-wasting in the 64th minute of Udinese’s 2-1 victory, prompting the investigation, which also involves Diego Giordano, a 40-year-old pizzeria owner in Udine.
Investigators allege that a verbal agreement regarding the bet was made at Giordano’s Biffi pizzeria before being executed at a Sisal betting outlet days before the match.
The prosecutors launched their probe following Sisal’s report of the suspicious betting patterns, leading to searches of both Okoye’s residence and Giordano’s property.
However, Okoye’s legal representatives have dismissed the allegations as baseless, maintaining that they lack substantial evidence.
If found guilty, Okoye could face severe consequences under Article 24 of the Italian Code of Sports Justice, which strictly prohibits professional footballers from gambling on official events organised by FIGC, UEFA and FIFA.
The investigation comes at a challenging time for Okoye, who is currently sidelined after undergoing wrist surgery. Udinese have already signed Norwegian goalkeeper Egil Selvik as cover.
Since joining Udinese in 2023 following a disappointing spell at Watford, Okoye has made 37 appearances across all competitions, establishing himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper before his injury.
The goalkeeper’s case is expected to be concluded in the coming weeks, with potential punishment ranging from seven months to four years, depending on the severity of any proven offences.(Punch)
