According to Football Italia on Tuesday, Maduka Okoye was banned after an investigation into suspicious betting linked to Udinese’s 2-1 victory over Lazio on March 11, 2024.
Okoye was booked for time-wasting in the 64th minute of that match, just before a wave of suspicious bets caught the attention of Italian authorities.
The bets, mostly at 8/1 odds and totaling over €120,000 in winnings, were reportedly traced back to the Udine area.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper and three of his friends were investigated and referred to a disciplinary panel in June 2025.
There were concerns that Okoye could face a lengthy four-year suspension if found guilty of match-fixing, but officials chose instead to penalize him for illegal betting, a less serious charge.
His ban starts with Udinese’s Coppa Italia match against Carrarese on August 18, 2025.
He’s expected to miss six Serie A games and make his return on October 19.
Maduka Okoye, 25, joined Udinese from Watford in 2023 and has made 18 appearances for the Nigerian national team.
KanyiDaily recalls that Maduka Okoye had revealed why he decided to represent Nigeria professionally instead of Germany, the country of his birth.
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