Mired in the FA enquiry which has dragged on seemingly forever, Lucas Paquetá could be forgiven for relaxing as he jets across the Atlantic Ocean to represent his national side, train with his countrymen and escape the publicity surrounding his ongoing ‘yellow cards for cash’ betting allegations. The press in Brazil had previously seemed especially laid back about the whole process, whilst Gonzo’s article today reported on two further charges being laid in the UK.
Overseas ambivalence to the charges had been mirrored in Spain where Luis Henrique – another name flagged in Brazil when the alleged suspect betting patterns were reported last year – was playing in La Liga at the time. Both national federations seem to be prepared to wait for the English FA to grind through to its own conclusions before taking action.
Reporting today in The Athletic Jack Laing and Guillermo Rai write ‘Should Lucas Paquetá [and Luis Henrique] be playing for Brazil?”. After initially being left out of the Brazilian squad, both Paquetá and Henrique have been re-instated : The Brazilian Federation’s position is ‘guilty until proven innocent’.
However, The Athletic reports that post-initial accusations, a newer update from Brazilian website UOL detailed the millions of euros which allegedly changed hands, and ‘the selection of both players in the squad so soon after UOL’s story created a newfound sense of unease’, compounded by ‘Dorival Junior [Brazil’s head coach] ducking the issue at his press conference.’
The Brazilian website UOL alleged, according to The Athletic: ‘That two relatives of Paquetá – his uncle Bruno Tolentino and his cousin, Yan Tolentino – made payments totalling..around £6.4m to Luis Henrique in January and February 2023.”
( UOL’s report alleged that the first payment went through on 30th January: 2 days earlier, Luis Henrique had played for Spanish club Betis and been booked in that match.)
Brazil’s federation president released a long statement advising he did not view a suspension as fair, after he’d ‘quizzed the English FA about the case’. Inertia in Brazil, and a similar laissez-faire attitude in Spain where Henrique was playing at the time of the incidents – again ‘allegedly’.
Of course, important to say Paquetá and Henrique deny any wrong doing.
Opinions vary but the longer the whole sorry saga drags on, the more the politicians posture and the overseas football authorities abdicate responsibility for taking the lead.
The Athletic concludes:
‘Paquetá being in the national team is a grave error’ the president of the parliamentary betting enquiry Senator Jorge Kajaru said in June. ”
So, a new found sense of unease across the Atlantic, the FA enquiry projected to be concluded in March 2025. On one side, the ‘no smoke without fire’ elements, along with millions of euros in allegations: On the other, the Brazilian FA still sticking to their ‘innocent until proven guilty’ mantra.
And everyone simply looking to the English FA to lead the way through this mess. I wonder if they are up to it – or will the lawyers mire everything down with appeals for years to come after the apparent conclusion to the enquiry, if it does indeed come early next year.
Allegedly.