Tony Cascarino moots ‘corruption’ at West Ham United as Lucas Paqueta development emerges
Tony Cascarino believes The FA could set a “dangerous precedent” after charging West Ham star Lucas Paqueta in regards to betting rule breaches.
The FA confirmed [23 May] that the Hammers midfielder has been charged with four cases of misconduct, with it being alleged that the player got himself purposely booked in matches.
The 26-year-old could be banned for life if found guilty of four separate incidents against Leicester City on 12 November 2022; Aston Villa on 12 March 2023; Leeds United on 21 May 2023; and Bournemouth on 12 August 2023. [The Times]
Speaking live via talkSPORT on Saturday (25 May, 6:27am), Cascarino said: “They could want to set a precedent if Paqueta is found guilty. It could be anything, any type of ban. It’ll be long.
“This is the worst type of betting that you can be accused of, spot-fixing. It’s basically corruption within the sport and you cannot have that. So, it’s a dangerous precedent that they can set if he is found guilty. This is way worse than Toney and Tonali.”
West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta charged by The FA
While Paqueta has been charged by The FA, the Brazilian is innocent until proven guilty, and the player is willing to fight with every breath to clear his name.
His reaction to the news via social media was extremely emotional, pleading with the fans to believe in his side of the story, and we will know the truth very soon.
Fans have already seen what happened to Ivan Toney and Sandro Tonali with their respective charges and eventual bans from football, and the Hammers will be keen to avoid this with their main star.
With the ongoing uncertainty around Paqueta’s situation, it is likely to halt any transfer move away from the London Stadium, with Manchester City the biggest club interested in recent seasons.
Of course, some fans may see this as a positive for the club, but only if the player is proven innocent at the end of the investigation.
With the charges brought against him, Paqueta has until 3 June to respond.
In other West Ham news, the wife of a Hammers player has potentially stirred up a controversy with her recent comments on social media accusing the club of bias.
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