Source:REUTERS/Matthew Childs
[Saba Sports News] According to Italian media reports, Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is accused of intentionally receiving a yellow card and betting on it. An inquiry will be held next Tuesday. The 25-year-old Nigerian international goalkeeper intentionally received a yellow card during an Italian league match last March. It was discovered that one of his friends placed a heavy bet on him receiving the card. Okoye is currently being charged with violating Article 4 of the Sports Law, which requires athletes to adhere to principles of integrity, fairness, and honesty. The Italian sports judiciary will hold a hearing on next Tuesday (July 22) and will issue a verdict on that day. The decision rationale will be published within 10 days. If found guilty, Okoye could face a four-year ban and a fine of 50,000 euros, giving him seven days to appeal. In addition, Okoye is facing criminal charges. However, compared to the sports judicial process, criminal trials require more rigorous evidence, so the likelihood of Okoye being convicted is lower.