Two former players from the A-League, Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis, have avoided a criminal conviction related to a betting scandal in which they accepted $10,000 to deliberately receive yellow cards during a match. This decision came from the Central Local Court in Sydney on Wednesday, where both players were sentenced to a two-year conditional release order, akin to a good behaviour bond.
The incident occurred during a match between Macarthur FC and Sydney FC on December 9, 2023. Bets were placed, primarily through the gambling site Betplay, on Macarthur receiving at least four yellow cards. The scheme allegedly orchestrated by their then-captain, Ulises Davila, resulted in winning payouts exceeding $167,000 in South America.
Magistrate Michael Blair stated that Baccus and Lewis were “right at the bottom of the scheme.” Court documents revealed that Davila recruited Lewis, who had a known history of gambling addiction, with the promise of “a little bit of extra coin.” The court found no evidence suggesting that Baccus or Lewis were aware of the specific wagers placed on their actions or the total amount they would receive.
Legal representatives for the former players emphasized the power imbalance between them and Davila, describing him as “not only the captain of the team, but the captain of the scheme.” Following their arrests, Macarthur FC suspended all three players involved. Baccus and Davila have since parted ways with the club, with Baccus reportedly taking up a job as a truck driver.
During the proceedings, the prosecution argued for a harsher sentence for Baccus, citing his attempts to disguise his payment to Davila as a car purchase. However, Magistrate Blair disagreed, concluding that both players had committed low-level offenses.
Davila faces nine charges related to his role in the betting scheme, including allegations that he acted as a conduit between the players and a Colombian criminal known as “J Col.” He is scheduled to appear in court on these charges on Thursday.
This case highlights the ongoing issues surrounding integrity in sports and the potential consequences of illicit betting activities. The Australian football community continues to grapple with the ramifications of this scandal, as authorities work to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.
