Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been suspended for two months by Italian football authorities after being found guilty of illegal betting.
According to Football Italia, the Nigerian international, who plays for Serie A side Udinese, narrowly escaped a four-year ban for sporting fraud. The case stemmed from Udinese’s 2-1 win over Lazio on March 11, where Okoye was booked in the 64th minute for time-wasting.
Authorities flagged the incident following a spike in betting activity predicting Okoye would receive a yellow card. The bets, mostly placed at 8/1 odds and traced to the Udine area, reportedly generated over €120,000 in winnings.
Following investigations, Okoye and three associates were brought before Italy’s disciplinary commission. While initially facing a potential sporting fraud charge, the case was eventually classified as illegal betting — a lesser offence.
His suspension will begin on August 18, meaning he will miss six Serie A games, including Udinese’s Coppa Italia tie against Carrarese. He will be eligible to return to action on October 19.
Okoye joined Udinese from Watford in 2023 and has made 18 appearances for the Nigerian national team.
