All Whites midfielder Clayton Lewis is reportedly one of three A-League players arrested in connection with an alleged betting corruption scheme.
The trio, including Macarthur FC captain Ulises Davila and midfielder Kearyn Baccus, are accused of manipulating the number of yellow cards received in matches.
Australian media sources reveal that Lewis, Davila, and Baccus were apprehended as part of a New South Wales Police investigation launched in December. The investigation focuses on claims that a senior player was taking instructions from an individual, believed to be based in South America, to arrange for players to receive yellow cards for financial gain.
The arrests were made following a six-month probe, with detectives executing search warrants in South Coogee, Parramatta, and Campbelltown. The arrested players are yet to be officially named by the police, but all three are affiliated with a club in southwest Sydney. The alleged match-fixing incidents took place on November 24 and December 9, with unsuccessful attempts on April 20 and May 4.
One of the players, aged 33, faces charges of engaging in and facilitating conduct that corrupts a betting outcome, while the other two players are also expected to be charged with similar offenses.
Ulises Davila, who joined Wellington Phoenix in 2019 and later moved to Macarthur FC in 2021, has made significant contributions to his teams. Clayton Lewis, 27, who has earned 22 caps for the All Whites, recently started in a match against Egypt and had a notable stint with Wellington Phoenix from 2020 to the end of last season.
Former All Whites and Phoenix defender Ben Sigmund expressed his disappointment over the scandal. Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave, Sigmund emphasized that such actions were never part of his experience in football. He expressed concern over the potential damage to the players’ careers and reputations, particularly highlighting Lewis’s achievements in reaching the A-League and representing the All Whites.
This scandal surfaces just before a significant match for Wellington Phoenix, who are set to play Melbourne Victory in a semifinal at a sold-out Sky Stadium. The Phoenix have chosen not to comment on the matter.
