Deborah Akinyosoye
Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been suspended for two months after being found guilty of illegal betting by Italian football authorities.
As reported by Football Italia on Tuesday, the Nigerian international, currently with Serie A club Udinese, avoided a potentially career-threatening four-year ban for sporting fraud.
The issue stems from a Serie A encounter between Udinese and Lazio on March 11, 2024. During the game, Okoye received a yellow card in the 64th minute for time-wasting, with his team ahead 2-1.
Authorities flagged the incident after detecting a surge in unusual betting patterns, specifically wagers predicting a yellow card for Okoye. The bulk of these bets, reportedly placed at odds of 8/1, originated from the Udine area and are believed to have yielded more than €120,000 in winnings.
The goalkeeper, alongside three associates, was subsequently investigated, and the case was brought before Italy’s disciplinary commission in June 2025.
Though initial concerns pointed to a possible sporting fraud charge that could have led to a four-year ban, the commission ruled instead on a lesser offence, illegal betting.
The suspension will commence on August 18, 2025, coinciding with Udinese’s Coppa Italia clash against Carrarese. Okoye will consequently miss six Serie A fixtures and will be eligible for selection again on October 19.
Okoye, who has earned 18 caps for the Nigerian national team, made the switch to Udinese from English side Watford in 2023.