Udinese, Nigeria Goalkeeper Okoye Suspended Two Months for Illegal Betting

Maduka Okoye, the 25-year-old Nigerian international goalkeeper for Udinese and the Super Eagles, has been suspended for two months by the Italian Football Federation due to illegal betting related to a Serie A match against Lazio in March 2024. During that match, Okoye was booked for time-wasting, which triggered an investigation after a surge of suspicious bets predicting his yellow card, with winnings exceeding €120,000 mostly from the Udine area. Okoye and three associates were investigated, and although he faced a potential four-year ban for sporting fraud, he was ultimately found guilty of illegal betting and received a lighter two-month suspension. The ban will start on August 18, 2025, coinciding with Udinese's Coppa Italia match against Carrarese, causing Okoye to miss the first six Serie A games of the season before becoming eligible to return on October 19. This case has raised concerns about the integrity of players' conduct and the influence of illegal betting in professional football. Okoye joined Udinese from Watford in 2023 and has earned 18 caps for Nigeria.