Nigeria international and Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has been handed a two-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) following his involvement in a high-profile betting scandal.
The disciplinary action is linked to suspicious betting activity surrounding Udinese’s Serie A match against Lazio during the 2023/2024 season. According to reports, Okoye was found to have violated professional conduct regulations related to football betting, though he has not been accused of match-fixing.
The FIGC confirmed the sanction on Tuesday, stating that the 24-year-old breached Article 24 of the federation’s code, which strictly prohibits players from placing bets on matches within the competition in which they are involved.
The ban means Okoye will miss the early stages of the 2025/2026 Serie A season, dealing a significant blow to Udinese and potentially affecting his place in Nigeria’s national team setup ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Neither Okoye nor his representatives have publicly responded to the ruling, but sources close to the player suggest he may appeal the decision in the coming days.
This development adds to the growing list of betting-related scandals that have rocked European football recently, prompting calls for stricter monitoring and player education on gambling rules.
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