The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on the Manipulation of Games and Sports Betting took a significant step by converting the request to hear Lucas Paquetá into a summons. The Brazilian national team midfielder, currently playing for West Ham in England, will be required to appear before the commission.
The English Football Association (FA) indicted Paquetá in May this year, leading to this decision. According to the FA’s accusation, the player had intentionally caused yellow cards in four Premier League matches, raising suspicions of match-fixing.
The president of the CPI, senator Jorge Kajuru (PSB-GO), explained the change in approach: “He didn’t accept it. Now it’s a summons. He and Deolane are summonses for the 29th. They are summonses, now it’s over. If not we loses credibility.”
Kajuru expressed his indignation with Paquetá’s current situation: “I think it’s absurd, I think it’s abominable that the player Paquetá is still in the Brazilian team, being called up, playing.”
The senator highlighted that the athlete will continue to play in the next World Cup qualifying matches, despite ongoing investigations.
Luiz Henrique, from Botafogo, could be called up
Paquetá‘s call-up could have ramifications for other players. Depending on his testimony, striker Luiz Henrique, from Botafogo, also called up for the national team, could become a target of the CPI.
In this way, the Betting CPI continually expands its scope. This is because a new commission, the BETs CPI, will be able to begin its activities by the end of the month, with 11 full members and seven substitutes.
Other names summoned to testify at the Betting CPI
Last Tuesday (8), the CPI approved the summons of lawyer and influencer Deolane Bezerra to give testimony. The decision, proposed by senator Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE), seeks to clarify possible connections between criminal factions and online betting companies.
In addition to Deolane, who was arrested for 19 days in September due to investigations, the CPI also summoned Darwin Henrique da Silva Filho, CEO of Esportes da Sorte, and Bruno Tolentino, Paquetá’s uncle, accused of making suspicious financial transfers.
