African soccer player banned for betting in Italy

Maduka Okoye banned for two months

By Emmanuel Akyereko

(Managing Editor)

The Federal Tribunal of the (FIGC) Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio has handed a two-month football ban to Nigerian soccer goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after being found guilty of betting.

The 25-year-old was at risk of a four-year ban if the more serious charge of sporting fraud had been confirmed with a guilty verdict.

Instead, the FIGC Federal Tribunal cleared him of those charges however, imposed a 2-month ban on him for a lesser offence, according to the hearing.

The ban will take effect  from August 18, 2025 and last until October 19, 2025, which means the German-born will be sidelined for the start of the 2025/26 season.

Maduka had been accused of  purposefully receiving a yellow card during the Serie A match between his club Udinese and fellow club Lazio in March 2024 after a flurry of unusual betting activity around that outcome.

The former Bayer Leverkusen academy player was booked for time-wasting in the 64th minute, prompting a wave of unusual bets centred around him receiving a yellow card.

Italian investigators uncovered that bets placed at odds of 8/1 resulted in over €120,000 in winnings, mostly originating from the Udine region which raised red flags. Apparently, Okoye and his three friends were placed under investigation and referred to the disciplinary commission in June 2025.

Okoye, who has been capped 16 official times by Nigeria, joined Udinese from English side Watford and has claimed the No.1 spot at the Stadio Communale Friuli, otherwise known as the Bluenergy Stadium.