Football Australia bans four players for spot-fixing offences
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Follow topic:
Dec 19 - Four players have been banned from all football-related activity for several years, Football Australia said on Friday, following their involvement in a betting scandal which included deliberately receiving yellow cards in A-League matches.
Former Macarthur Bulls players Clayton Lewis, an ex-New Zealand international, and Kearyn Baccus had avoided convictions in September but were ordered to pay fines for their part in the scandal.
They had pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event. Both players admitted to receiving payments of A$10,000 each from club captain Ulises Davila to ensure yellow cards were issued in multiple A-League matches in late-2023.
Both players were banned for five years each commencing on May 17, 2024. They were also offered 200 hours of unpaid football-related community service to reduce their bans by 12 months, which they accepted.
Meanwhile, Riku Danzaki and his Japanese compatriot Yuta Hirayama were banned for seven years commencing on June 1, 2025.
Former Western United midfielder Danzaki had been fined by a Melbourne court in August after being convicted of fraud by deliberately earning yellow cards in A-League games.
Danzaki and Hirayama, an amateur player who was also convicted and fined, pleaded guilty to seven corruption charges at Melbourne Magistrates Court. Hirayama placed bets that Danzaki would receive yellow cards in four A-League games.
Football Australia added that all four players decided not to exercise their right to appeal and accepted the sanctions imposed. REUTERS
