Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been handed a two-month suspension following his involvement in a betting scandal whilst playing for Udinese in Serie A.The 25-year-old was booked during a match against Lazio on March 11, 2024. Okoye received a yellow card in the 64th minute for time-wasting, which initially seemed like a normal incident during the away fixture.However, investigators noticed unusual betting patterns around that specific booking. They discovered that a close friend of Okoye, who runs a pizzeria in Udine, had placed bets on the goalkeeper receiving a yellow card and won over €120,000, per Foot Africa.However, the FIGC Federal Tribunal cleared him of those charges, instead imposing a two-month ban for a much lesser issue.Recommended For YouLifestyle2025-07-22T14:04:04+00:006 things you should always do after sexSports2025-07-23T10:28:41+00:00Donald Trump kept Madueke’s CWC medal after Arsenal move – Chelsea star revealsChelsea’s Marc Cucurella jokes that Donald Trump has Noni Madueke’s Club World Cup medal after the forward’s move to Arsenal…Sports2025-07-23T11:12:01+00:00Crystal Palace fans deliver suitcase of fake cash to UEFA in bold Europa League protestAlthough he initially faced a possible four-year ban for sporting fraud, the more serious charges were dropped, and he was cleared of sporting fraud.READ ALSO: 10 Football players banned for sports bettingUdinese backs goalkeeper Maduka OkoyeMaduka OkoyeREAD ALSO: Donald Trump kept Madueke’s CWC medal after Arsenal move – Chelsea star revealsUdinese released a statement backing their player after the verdict. The club said:The Federal Tribunal of the FIGC has today excluded any involvement of the player Maduka Okoye in sporting fraud, fully accepting the arguments put forward by his lawyers.The statement continued:In the courts, all the accusations of presumed sporting fraud were dismissed, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was exclusively with regards to violation of the generic principle of fairness.Udinese added:The club is satisfied that the athlete has been totally cleared of the insulting allegations of match-fixing. The club cannot help but reaffirm the maximum support to Okoye.MUST READ: ‘He nearly tear my heart’ – King Promise almost ‘faints’ training with ex-Chelsea starThe suspension begins with Udinese’s first official match of the 2025-26 season against Carrarese on August 18, 2025. Okoye will miss six Serie A matches and return to action on October 18. The club expressed “full faith in the correct behaviour of Maduka” throughout the controversy.