Brazilian was acquitted of accusations of manipulation of results in a process that resulted in the longest sentence in the history of the sport, with 314 pages
In one of the most striking cases of English football, west Ham United and the Brazilian National Team, was acquitted of charges for manipulating results in a trial that resulted in the longest sentence in the history of the sport, with impressive 314 pages. The document, in addition to freeing the player from any punishment, brought harsh criticism of the Football Association (FA), exposing serious flaws in his investigation. FA is the maximum organ that governs English football and is responsible for several areas, such as the National Men’s and Female Team, and the organization of competitions. And the powerful FA is being harshly criticized by the English press, among them Times.
The independent commission responsible for the trial stressed that FA failed to seek an independent assessment of betting data, considered suspected by companies in the sector. The English football regulatory agency entrusted exclusively to its internal investigator, Tom Astley, who described the bets as “extremely orchestrated.” Surprisingly, FA contradicts its own expert, a decision that the commission has classified as “very surprising.” The absence of an independent expert was pointed out as an “obvious failure”, compromising the credibility of the case.
Another point of criticism was the posture of the FA during the investigation. In a second interview with Paquetá, the investigators refused to hear the player’s answers to previously raised questions, even when he was willing to collaborate. The commission expressed shock with the lack of interest of the FA in the player’s explanations, considering the severity of the accusations, which could have led to years of suspension.
FA accused Paquetá of having received yellow cards intentionally in four games, allegedly to benefit bets. However, the commission concluded that suspected betting standards have probably resulted from “hot tips” or “privileged information” circulating in. One of the hypotheses raised by the defense was that comments from Paquetá’s mother, Christiane Tolentino, in a hairdresser, about the player’s mood, could have triggered the bets.
The FA also tried to point out that Paquetá would have erased messages and contacts from WhatsApp intentionally. However, the commission accepted the player’s explanation that he used the role of “messages that disappear”, that automatically erased the texts after 24 hours, and that other messages were excluded for family reasons, due to a “family fight”. The commission rejected FA’s insinuations, stating that there was no evidence to infer malicious conduct.
Paquetá, described as a religious person with no interest in bets, even refused a sponsorship of a company in the sector. The commission highlighted its generosity and lack of involvement with gambling, further weakening the FA accusations.
The case had significant consequences. The investigation, which began in 2023, prevented Paquetá’s transfer to, and now the player and West Ham evaluate legal actions against FA due to the damage caused.
In addition, FA faces a delicate moment, as the Paquetá case comes shortly after another legal defeat for Nottingham Forest, where it was forced to pay compensation for reasons for the appointment of a disciplinary panel. Paquetá, represented by lawyer Nick de Marco, was the first player of the Premier League accused of handling results.
A verdict of guilt could have resulted in years of banishment of world football. Not only acquittal free of the player of severe punishment, but also puts the FA under scrutiny, raising questions about conducting future investigations. This historical judgment exposes the need for greater rigor and independence in FA investigations, as well as reinforcing the integrity of Lucas Paquetá, who can now pursue his career without the weight of the accusations. The question is: How will FA recover from this setback?
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the young Pan.
