Udinese and Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been suspended for two months by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) following his involvement in a betting scandal during the 2023/2024 Serie A season.
The 24-year-old was found guilty of sporting misconduct after allegations surfaced that he deliberately sought a yellow card during a league fixture against Lazio. The incident raised suspicions after investigators detected abnormal betting patterns tied to the booking.
According to a statement issued by the Disciplinary Section of the FIGC’s National Federal Tribunal, Okoye was accused of committing an intentional act that influenced betting outcomes.
The Tribunal’s ruling followed a thorough disciplinary investigation into the case.
“The National Federal Tribunal, Disciplinary Section, definitively ruling, imposes on Mr Emil Maduka Okoye the sanction of two (2) months of disqualification in official matches, starting from the beginning of the first official competition of the 2025/2026 sporting season,” the statement read.
The ban, set to begin with the first competitive fixture of the new season, will sideline Okoye for six official matches. He will miss Udinese’s Coppa Italia opener against Carrarese on August 18, as well as the club’s first five Serie A matches.
He will be eligible to return to action on October 19, when Udinese face newly promoted Cremonese away from home.
Okoye, a former first-choice goalkeeper for the Super Eagles, has not publicly responded to the ruling.
His form has dipped since Nigeria’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, and the suspension casts further doubt on his prospects of reclaiming a starting role at both club and international level.
The case has reignited concerns over player integrity and the growing influence of illegal betting activities in professional football. It also adds to a series of recent high-profile incidents involving athletes and betting misconduct across Europe.
The development has sparked widespread debate in both Italy and Nigeria, particularly given Okoye’s standing as a national team player.