A huge new development has just emerged regarding the situation of West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta.
And the Hammers are not just simply sitting back and waiting for a decision to be made anymore it seems.
West Ham ace Lucas Paqueta was charged for his alleged role in potential betting breaches earlier this summer, and it was recently suggested that he could face a multi-year ban if found guilty.
The Brazilian was booked in four separate matches against Leicester in 2022, and Aston Villa, Leeds and Bournemouth in 2023.
It is alleged that sixty people placed bets on Paqueta to be booked in one or all of those matches, with the stakes ranging from just £7 to £400, leading to combined winnings of £100,000.
The former Lyon star recently opened up on the current situation he’s going through, when speaking to reporters at a press conference whilst away with the Brazil national team:
“This will be the first and only time I will speak about this matter. My lawyers have advised me not to comment on the matter.”
“What I can say is that I continue to do my best, cooperating. My lawyers defend me so that everything is clarified in the end.”
“The decision made me sad but we will do everything to change this decision and cooperate.”
The bottom line is that we need an answer soon, one way or another.
West Ham face a situation where we could have an £85 million asset that we can’t use or sell, and that would obviously be totally disastrous for the club.
So now the Hammers are making a bold move to switch things up, with David Sullivan set to go on the defensive.
Lucas Paqueta development as West Ham make decision
The Brazilian’s current situation is extremely frustrating for everyone involved with the Hammers, and himself of course.
The betting investigation into Paqueta has certainly cast a cloud over the London Stadium over the past year.
If he is to perform his best for Julen Lopetegui this season, he needs to put the matter firmly behind him, and that will only happen if he’s proven innocent of all the charges being thrown at him.
And it seems as though the Hammers are now prepared to force the issue.
According to a report from The Sun, West Ham want to take the FA to court to stop them from banning Paqueta.
The Hammers are said to be ‘considering going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne to prevent the FA hearing the case’.
West Ham are apparently questioning the jurisdiction of the English FA as ‘all of the suspicious betting linked to Paqueta took place in Brazil, where there is a higher burden of proof in sports disciplinary cases’.
This really is a major development.
It was only last month when it was suggested that the FA are looking to ban Lucas Paqueta for life for his involvement in the alleged betting breaches.
So now the West Ham owners seem to be taking matters into their own hands when it comes to the charges Lucas Paqueta is facing.
As mentioned earlier, everyone involved in the matter just need some closure now. This whole situation has dragged on for far too long.
Let’s hope that the Hammers are successful in their attempts to get Lucas off the hook.
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