Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has been slammed with a two-month ban by Italian football authorities for illegal betting.
According to Football Italia, the Udinese shot-stopper escaped a possible four-year suspension for sporting fraud after an investigation into a suspicious betting pattern linked to a Serie A match.
The incident dates back to March 11, 2024, during a clash between Udinese and Lazio. Okoye was booked in the 64th minute for time-wasting while his side led 2-1.
Authorities flagged the booking after detecting a surge in bets predicting the goalkeeper would receive a yellow card—most of them placed in Udine—yielding over €120,000 in winnings at odds of 8/1.
Okoye, alongside three associates, faced a disciplinary probe in June 2025. While prosecutors initially considered a sporting fraud charge—which carries a four-year ban—the commission settled for illegal betting.
His suspension starts August 18, 2025, meaning the Nigerian international will miss six Serie A games, including Udinese’s Coppa Italia tie against Carrarese. He’ll return on October 19.
The 24-year-old joined Udinese from Watford in 2023 and has 18 caps for the Super Eagles.
