**Lucas Paqueta is set to face his FA hearing later this month as ExWHUEmployee speaks to an expert in the matter.**
Reporting this week on The West Ham Way Podcast, the club insider revealed that he’d interviewed an expert on betting, match fixing and gambling integrity – however we are protecting their identity.
**What exactly are the charges against Lucas Paqueta?**
The charges as a whole relate to Spot Fixing in four matches for financial gain. Spot Fixing is manipulating an element of a match that isn’t directly related to the result.
**How did he get found out?**
There are many myths surrounding how he was found out. First and foremost – West Ham’s shirt sponsor Betway have been accused of flagging up Paqueta. This isn’t strictly true.
Most companies including Betway have automatic alerts set up on the easiest to manipulate markets (cards etc) and the automatic alert triggered for a Paqueta card with Betway during the season in question. This would be like blaming your smoke alarm for grassing you up for burning your dinner – it’s automatically set to go off if it detects smoke.
No human intervention plays a part to say “we sponsor that club – so we better not”. Another myth is that’s the trigger that found him charged. It wasn’t. It’s understood that other games and other companies make up the actual evidence the FA will be using.
**How likely is he to get convicted of these charges? What does his lawyer have to prove to get him off the charges?**
Without prejudging Paqueta’s defence – and let’s remember he denies everything – the one thing that cannot be determined is if someone purposely has done something (you can’t read their mind at the time of the incident).
Many ‘fixing’ cases in the past have fallen down at this hurdle. So balance of probabilities will be the FA route.
**Is it right that the charges have been dropped in Brazil?**
That is correct, although the FA case is likely to be more thorough, and they will print written reasons and almost a full description of the case once it’s finished. Either way.
**Can you explain what being convicted on the balance of probability means?**
As mentioned above, nobody can read the mind of the player as he is playing and making decisions on the pitch, the FA will use experts to judge each incident and pair it up with other pieces of evidence (which could be phone records OR records of bets placed – or BOTH)
**If found guilty what is the likely punishment?**
I think the current reports of the FA seeking a lifetime ban are realistic.
**If a long term ban was issued would West Ham get any money back through insurance or do we just lose his value?**
The club work hard to train players, which also comes with a warning as to their conduct. I’m no expert on insurance cover though.
**When will we know the outcome of the trial?**
It’s expected to last three weeks
**Is there any other cases in world football that mirror this one at all?**
There are a few. The best known – Bradley Wood Lincoln – six year ban for yellow cards in their live FA Cup games in 16/17. I’ll also say now – I’ve seen plenty of West Ham fans replying to Twitter messages about the case saying what about Toney and Tonali.
You mjust realise these are different. Tonali and Toney broke the rule on players not being allowed to bet on any football, they did not get accused of manipulating things or outcomes in matches, they couldn’t be more different and have zero relevance to what’s being levelled at Paqueta.
**Is there any chance he could appeal the decision and if he does what could happen? How long would that take? Could he still play during that appeal?**
Absolutely, he’s stated his innocence all along and you’d expect to challenge at least once if it doesn’t go his way. You’d expect it to take a while to appeal, and the likelihood of an appeal would be based on how much evidence is there. I’d expect he wouldn’t be allowed to play during any appeal.