Maduka Okoye, who plays in goal for both Udinese and Nigeria’s Super Eagles, has received a two-month suspension from Italy’s football authorities, www.isagoal.com reports, following a months-long investigation into a controversial yellow card incident.
Reports revealed that Italian authorities were reviewing claims of gambling-related foul play tied to a yellow card Okoye received against Lazio on March 11, 2024.
Betting patterns in Udine showed unusual spikes as gamblers placed money on Okoye to receive a booking in that particular Serie A match.
That yellow card, one of only two he received all season, came from time-wasting late in the game—raising suspicion it may have been intentional.
Investigators from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) launched a formal inquiry but allowed Okoye to continue playing while they reviewed the situation.
By Tuesday, the FIGC concluded Okoye was not involved in betting activity or sporting fraud, but still penalized him for breaching fair play codes.
If found guilty of gambling, Okoye could have faced a suspension of up to four years—an outcome that would have likely derailed his career.
Instead, the ruling handed down limits the ban to two months, set to begin on August 18 when Serie A action resumes.
In a public statement, Udinese expressed full confidence in their goalkeeper, emphasizing, “the player’s proven complete non-involvement in the infamous match-fixing theory.”
They added, “Udinese Calcio reiterates its full confidence in Maduka’s proper conduct,” pledging continued support while he serves his suspension.
Okoye, who turns 26 on August 28, is under contract with Udinese until 2028 and aims to return stronger to reclaim his starting role once the ban ends.
This article was updated 2 days ago