Udinese and Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been handed a two-month suspension by Italian football authorities for engaging in illegal betting activities.
Initial fears suggested the 25-year-old could face a four-year ban if convicted of sporting fraud, but the final decision found him guilty of the lesser offence of illegal betting.
The charge stems from suspicions that Okoye was deliberately booked during Udinese’s Serie A match against Lazio on March 11, 2024, where he received a yellow card for time-wasting in the 64th minute.
As a result of the ban, Okoye will miss one Coppa Italia fixture and seven Serie A matches, sidelining him until October 19, 2024.
The decision marks a significant disciplinary moment in the goalkeeper’s career and raises renewed concerns over integrity in professional football.
