Betting Scandal Rocks Nigerian Football Again As Another Super Eagles Player Faces Lengthy Ban
- Super Eagles invitee Adewale Adeyinka has been suspended by the NPFL over insider betting allegations, pending investigation
- Adewale joins Maduka Okoye, who is serving a two-month betting ban in Italy after suspicious wagers on his yellow card
- Authorities have warned others that betting scandals threaten the integrity and reputation of Nigerian football
Nigerian football is once again engulfed in controversy as Super Eagles and Plateau United goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka has been suspended from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) over allegations of insider betting.
The development comes barely a month after fellow Super Eagles goalie Maduka Okoye was sanctioned for similar offences in Italy.
Source: UGC
According to Athletic NG, the NPFL confirmed that Adeyinka’s registration will be placed on hold pending the outcome of investigations, raising fresh concerns about betting’s growing influence on Nigerian football.
Adeyinka faces lengthy suspension
According to NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi, Plateau United lodged the complaint against Adeyinka after he allegedly refused to sign a new contract with a prospective club that included an immediate-termination clause for betting-related offences, per Sports Ration.
Adeyinka, who joined Plateau United from Kwara United in the 2024/25 season on a two-year deal, now faces an uncertain future.
The NPFL stressed that his refusal to sign the contract reinforced their conviction that the allegations required urgent attention.
Under Article 15.5, Section B of the NPFL Framework and Rules, players are strictly prohibited from betting, with sanctions outlined under Section C.
Owumi also warned that betting on matches involving a player diminishes the integrity of the league and brings the game into disrepute.
The 28-year-old Super Eagles invitee, who has represented Nigeria at youth level, was reportedly close to joining Shooting Stars ahead of the new NPFL season, which kicks off on August 22.
Maduka Okoye’s betting ban in Italy
Adewale Adeyinka’s case is the second high-profile betting scandal involving a Nigerian goalkeeper in just over a month.
Source: Getty Images
Maduka Okoye, who plays for Serie A side Udinese, was recently handed a two-month suspension for illegal betting by Italian football authorities.
The controversy began on March 11, 2024, during a Serie A clash between Udinese and Lazio.
Okoye was booked for time-wasting in the 64th minute with his team leading 2-1. Authorities later flagged a rise in suspicious bets predicting a yellow card for the goalkeeper, with most wagers placed in the Udine region and the bets generated more than €120,000 in winnings.
Following the incident, Okoye and three others were investigated promptly.
Though initially facing a possible four-year ban for sporting fraud, he was eventually convicted of illegal betting instead, avoiding the harsher punishment.
His suspension will run from August 18 to October 19, 2025, ruling him out of six Serie A matches, including Udinese’s Coppa Italia fixture against Carrarese.
Okoye’s lawyers respond after betting allegations
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Okoye has firmly denied the betting allegations that have surfaced against him, with his legal representative calling the accusations unfounded.
The Udinese goalkeeper is currently being investigated for allegedly placing a bet on receiving a yellow card during a Serie A match against Lazio on March 11, 2024.
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Source: Legit.ng
