The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has imposed a two-month suspension on Maduka Okoye, the goalkeeper for Udinese and Super Eagles.
Following a disciplinary decision connected to a contentious betting-related event during the 2023–2024 Serie A season, Maduka Okoye was banned.
After he was accused of provoking a yellow card during a match against Lazio, Okoye, 24, was found guilty of sporting misconduct. Investigators think that unusual betting activity around that specific point in the game had an impact on the move.
The FIGC’s inquiry, which was prompted by anomalous betting patterns, came to the conclusion that Okoye “intentionally committed an act” to influence the results of wagers on the game.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the National Federal Tribunal’s Disciplinary Section of the Federation affirmed the prohibition.
“The Disciplinary Section of the National Federal Tribunal has definitively ruled that Mr. Emil Maduka Okoye will be disqualified from official matches for two (2) months, beginning with the first official competition of the 2025/2026 sporting season,” the verdict said.
Okoye’s ban will start on August 18 when Udinese plays Carrarese in the Coppa Italia, the team’s first competitive encounter of the new season. He will miss five further Serie A games as a result. By the time Udinese travels to play Cremonese on October 19, he should be eligible again.
It should be noted that Maduka Okoye, Nigeria’s former first-choice goalie, has had difficulty staying consistent since the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021. His recent progress may make his future with Udinese and the Nigerian national team even more uncertain, since his form has been inconsistent.
As of this writing, Okoye has not responded to the ban with a public statement.
