Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who plays for Udinese, might be banned from football for up to four years. Italian officials are accusing him of being involved in match-fixing, also known as sporting fraud.

The case has been taken to the disciplinary commission, meaning it’s a serious issue. It’s not just about breaking betting rules—it’s about possibly changing how a match was played on purpose.

Okoye, who is 25 years old, is accused of getting a yellow card on purpose during a match between Udinese and Lazio. This incident happened in the 64th minute of the game.

He was given the yellow card for wasting time when Udinese was ahead 2-1. The game took place on March 11, 2024, at Udinese’s home stadium, the Dacia Arena.

The authorities are not only looking into Okoye. Three of his friends are also being investigated in connection with the same case.

Okoye moved to Udinese from English club Watford in the summer of 2023. He also plays for Nigeria’s national football team.