🚀 Read this insightful post from BBC Sport 📖
📂 Category:
✅ Key idea:
In his written reasons, external As for the decision published on Friday, the independent panel said it “accepted that the player was acting on the advice at all times, but that, as a participant, he had an obligation to respect and adhere to the regulations.”
“The starting point for the penalty was a financial penalty,” she said, but added that several mitigating factors led her to decide not to impose the fine.
Among them are Paqueta’s “limited knowledge of the English language” and it is “fictional” to expect the player, who has no legal training, to do anything other than follow the advice of the chief advisor appointed by his club.
The committee noted that the FA “apparently was not interested in what the player said in the second interview when he offered to answer questions arising from the revelations that occurred after the first interview.”
He added: “In any event, the player provided answers to the issues raised by the FA by providing a witness statement on 15 December 2023, thus in effect complying with the request for information. He had previously volunteered to produce his mobile devices for questioning.”
“Importantly, all of this was before charges were brought and did not ultimately frustrate the investigation. The FA provided no evidence of bias.”
The “heavy” legal fees Paqueta faced during the case and the “mental stress” the player suffered due to the “extremely serious” nature of the allegations against him were also taken into account.
“We recognize that one element of the psychological distress the player experienced included his awareness that he had [spot-fixing] The committee said: “If the charges were proven, his football career would certainly have ended.”
West Ham ranks 19th in the English Premier League after only one win in its first nine matches.
They play at home against Newcastle United on Sunday (14:00 GMT) and Hammers coach Nuno Espirito Santo was asked on Friday in his pre-match press conference about the impact of the case on Paqueta.
“That doesn’t help,” Nuno said. “All the hype, all the situation he’s been through, doesn’t help. Finally, it’s over, but at the same time the rumors come.” [of a move away].
“All these rumours, especially the situation we are in, are not helping. I think we have to protect ourselves and try to hide all the noise outside, the rumors of players leaving, and the transfer window.”
“Let’s try to ignore all of that so we can work better.”
💬 What do you think?
#️⃣ #West #Ham #Lucas #Paqueta #warned #pointsfixing #investigation #behaviour
