Despite his acquittal, the Nigerian national football goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was closed to the accusation of game manipulation for two months. This decision by the Italian Football Association (FIGC) confirmed Okoyes Club Udinese Calcio.
Accordingly, the Federal Supreme Court of the FIGC “excluded any participation of the player in sports offenses” and “dropped all allegations”. The decision for the lock was based exclusively on a violation of the general fairness principle. Udine insured Okoye full support and emphasized that it was firmly convinced of its proper behavior.
The native of Düsseldorf was accused of deliberately getting a yellow card in the league game against Lazio Rome in March 2024. This gained a friend of the 25-year-old by means of a bet.
According to FIGC, there was no attempt at game manipulation, for which a four -year lock would have threatened. Nevertheless, Okoye, who has been playing at Udinese since 2023, has to suspend from August 18 to October 19. He will miss seven competitive games.