Latest news with #MadukaOkoye
Al-Ahram Weekly
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Udinese keeper Okoye banned for two months after match-fixing probe - Egyptian Football
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who had been accused of match-fixing, has been cleared of all charges but given a two-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Serie A club said. The FIGC National Federal Court, which met on Tuesday to discuss the charge against Nigerian Okoye, "has excluded any involvement of the player in sports offences, after accepting the arguments of his lawyers", Udinese said in a statement. "During the trial, all charges of alleged sporting misconduct were dropped, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was based solely on a violation of the general principle of fairness (Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code). "The club has stated that it is satisfied with the court's conclusion that the player was not involved in the infamous match-fixing theory. The club wishes to reiterate its full support for Okoye, who is awaiting the reasons for the decision. Udinese Calcio reasserts that it is firmly convinced of Maduka's proper conduct." The 25-year-old Nigerian international was alleged to have deliberately collected a booking during his team's Italian league match against Lazio in March 2024. The German-born goalkeeper received a yellow card for time-wasting, after an alleged deal reached with a friend who won 120,000 euros ($140,000) as a result of a bet. The FIGC investigation established that there was no intention to fix the match, which would have been punishable by a four-year fine. However Okoye, who has been with Udinese since 2023, will be suspended from August 18 to October 19. He will therefore miss seven of his team's matches -- six in the league and one in the Coppa Italia. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Udinese keeper Okoye banned for two months after match-fixing probe
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who had been accused of match-fixing, has been cleared of all charges but given a two-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Serie A club said. The FIGC National Federal Court, which met on Tuesday to discuss the charge against Nigerian Okoye, "has excluded any involvement of the player in sports offences, after accepting the arguments of his lawyers", Udinese said in a statement. "During the trial, all charges of alleged sporting misconduct were dropped, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was based solely on a violation of the general principle of fairness (Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code). "The club has stated that it is satisfied with the court's conclusion that the player was not involved in the infamous match-fixing theory. The club wishes to reiterate its full support for Okoye, who is awaiting the reasons for the decision. Udinese Calcio reasserts that it is firmly convinced of Maduka's proper conduct." The 25-year-old Nigerian international was alleged to have deliberately collected a booking during his team's Italian league match against Lazio in March 2024. The German-born goalkeeper received a yellow card for time-wasting, after an alleged deal reached with a friend who won 120,000 euros ($140,000) as a result of a bet. The FIGC investigation established that there was no intention to fix the match, which would have been punishable by a four-year fine. However Okoye, who has been with Udinese since 2023, will be suspended from August 18 to October 19. He will therefore miss seven of his team's matches -- six in the league and one in the Coppa Italia. jr/ea/nr/mw
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Court ban Maduka Okoye for two months after match-fixing allegation
Udinese goalkeeper and former Nigerian Super Eagles top goalie Maduka Okoye don chop two months ban afta dem investigate am for match-fixing. Court sanction di Udinese goalkeeper with a two-month ban after dem bin charge am with alleged match-fixing, dem say e bin allegedly allow dem to book am on purpose during one match against Lazio for di 2023-2024 season. Dem say na after one agreement with one of di bettors; di booking hapun for di 18th minute of di second half of di game for time wasting. E bin dey face four years suspension but di Italian Football Federation, federal prosecutor office on Tuesday drop all charges of sports fraud against am. Okoye go begin serve im suspension in August 18, di day Udinese go face Carrarese in di first round of di Coppa Italia (2025-2026) season. 'No sporting offence dey committed' - Udinese Udinese Calcio don release press statement for dia website, wey tok say di tribunal clear Okoye of sporting offences. "Di FIGC National Federal Tribunal, meeting today to discuss di referral of Maduka Okoye, rule out any involvement of di player in conduct wey we consider unsporting misconduct, fully accepting di lawyers arguments," di statement tok. "In di trial, we drop all allegations of alleged unsporting misconduct, and di decision to impose two-month ban na base on di violation of di general principle of fair play (Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code). "Di club express dia satisfaction wit di player proven complete non-involvement in di infamous match-fixing theory. Di club dey full support Okoye, wey dey wait for di ruling reasons. "Udinese Calcio reiterate dia full confidence in Maduka proper conduct." Di statement tok. About Maduka Okoye Maduka Emilio Okoye na professional goalkeeper wit Nigeria Super Eagles and Udinese club for Italy. Dem bron am in August 28, 1999 for Düsseldorf in Germany. Im mama na German while im papa na Nigerian. Okoye papa na from Enugu state in Nigeria. Di 25-year-old bin fully join di Nigeria team in 2019 afta e show im performance during di Nigeria match wit Brazil for 2019. Di 6ft 6in tall goalkeeper start im career for Germany for Borussia Monchengladbach, e also play for Bayer Leverkusen and Fortuna Dusseldorf before e come move to Italy to join Udinese Calcio in 2023. E win Sparta Player of di Season award for di 2020-2021 season during im time wit Eredivis and help di Dutch team eighth in di Dutch top flight. At di age of 18, Okoye bin dey di eye of di den Nigeria Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr since e play for Germany Fortuna Düsseldorf under-19 team.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Maduka Okoye handed two-month suspension for match-fixing
The Nigerian Udinese goalkeeper is punished for deliberately earning a yellow card during a match. Maduka Okoye Maduka Okoye has been handed a two-month suspension on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, for his involvement in a match-fixing betting scandal. The Nigerian goalkeeper for Udinese Calcio was found guilty of deliberately earning a yellow card during a match against Lazio as part of a rigged betting scheme. The 25-year-old player was suspended for two months by the Italian federal court following an investigation into cheating in a Serie A match. On March 11, 2024, during an away game at Lazio, Maduka Okoye received a yellow card in the 64th minute for time-wasting. While the incident appeared routine, it triggered an inquiry after an abnormal spike in bets specifically targeting that booking. Investigators discovered that a close friend of Okoye, who owns a pizzeria in Udine, wagered on the yellow card and pocketed over 120,000 euros. The case was prosecuted by the federal prosecutor's office, which established that Maduka Okoye and his associates had an arrangement to influence the course of the match. Initially facing a possible four-year ban, the goalkeeper ultimately received a two-month suspension, starting from the first official match of the 2025-2026 season. He will be eligible to return to action from October 19.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Udinese lose both first choice goalkeepers to serious injury
Udinese are forced to deal with an unexpected crisis, as both their first two goalkeepers have suffered serious injuries. The Friulani are trying to stay in the top half of the table following a decent start to the season under coach Kosta Runjaic. It is however becoming increasingly tricky due to the number of injuries the club has had to handle. Nowhere is that more evident than in goal, where primary pick Maduka Okoye was ruled out by a serious wrist injury at the start of December 2024. He is not expected back on the field until mid-April, having undergone surgery for the torn ligament in his right wrist. Okoye had been replaced by Razvan Sava for almost three months, but now he too is ruled out by an injury. Udinese announced this afternoon that Sava has fractured the little finger on his right hand and will go under the knife in Rome on Saturday. Now their only choices are 39-year-old Daniele Padelli or 21-year-old Edoardo Piana. Padelli had experience at the likes of Inter, Torino, Sampdoria and Liverpool, but has not played a competitive match since October 2022. That was Udinese's 3-2 Coppa Italia defeat to Monza.
