Football Australia has handed down severe sanctions to four players involved in a spot-fixing scandal, effectively ending the professional careers of several individuals involved. The governing body has imposed bans of up to seven years for deliberately manipulating yellow cards for betting purposes.
Seven-Year Ban for Japanese Winger
Riku Danzaki, the former Western United player, has been banned from all football in Australia for seven years. This punishment follows his conviction and fine in August for committing yellow card betting fraud. An amateur player, Yuta Hirayama, who placed bets on Danzaki receiving deliberate yellow cards, received an identical seven-year ban.
The sanction for the 25-year-old winger is backdated to June 1, 2024, when he was initially suspended. This means Danzaki cannot play in Australia until June 1, 2032, by which time he will be 32 years old, almost certainly concluding his career in the country.
Macarthur FC Duo Receive Four-Year Bans
Former Macarthur FC players Clayton Lewis and Kearyn Baccus have each been banned for five years, which will be reduced to four years upon completion of community service. The pair were handed two-year conditional release orders in September after pleading guilty to engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome.
Lewis and Baccus admitted to being paid $10,000 each by their former club captain, Ulises Davila, to deliberately earn yellow cards during a match in December 2023. They were also required to repay the illicit funds as a fine.
Their bans are backdated to May 17, 2024. Football Australia confirmed both players have elected to complete 200 hours of unpaid football-related community service to support integrity and education programs, which will reduce their suspensions by one year.
Career Consequences and Acceptance of Sanctions
The bans have profound implications for the players' futures. Kearyn Baccus will be 36 when his suspension ends in May 2028, which all but ends his playing career. Clayton Lewis, a former New Zealand international, will be 31 and at the tail end of his professional days.
Football Australia stated the community service element is designed to provide "an avenue of rehabilitation and constructive engagement with the football community during their bans." Ulises Davila, the alleged orchestrator, pleaded guilty in October to facilitating the corrupt conduct and is currently awaiting sentencing.
All four players have accepted their respective punishments and have indicated they will not appeal the decisions. This case marks one of the most significant integrity breaches dealt with by Football Australia in recent years.
