NPFL: Goalkeeper involved in betting scandal wants fair hearing
As the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) tightens its stance on betting ahead of the 2025/26 season, Super Eagles and Plateau United goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka has called for a transparent hearing over allegations linking him to insider betting — claims he firmly denies.
The league recently issued a directive warning all players, coaches, officials, and staff that engaging in betting or match-fixing would attract severe sanctions, including suspension, expulsion, and fines.
The circular, dated 6 August, stressed that betting “poses a direct threat to the integrity of the league” and vowed to treat all reports with confidentiality.
It is under this stricter enforcement climate that Adeyinka’s case has emerged.
NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi confirmed that the goalkeeper’s registration has been frozen pending investigation, citing a complaint from Plateau United.
The club alleged that Adeyinka refused to sign a contract with Shooting Stars because it contained an immediate-termination clause for betting offences.
Owumi insisted the matter must be treated urgently, stating that betting on games involving a player “diminishes the integrity of the league and brings the game into disrepute.”
But Adeyinka, who joined Plateau United from Kwara United in the 2024/25 season, says the allegations are unfounded and wants the NPFL Board to hear directly from all parties involved.
“Please invite me, invite Plateau United, invite Shooting Stars. Let’s resolve this matter transparently,” he urged.
In a detailed statement, Adeyinka explained that Shooting Stars had offered him a contract after he passed both physical and hospital medicals.
“They gave me special treatment and showed me the kind of respect a professional player deserves. I truly appreciate the new Sporting Director, kudos to him,” he said.
The dispute, he claims, began over a clause allowing the club to terminate a contract if a player was found to be involved in betting.
“I told the Sporting Director that if the club would base its judgment solely on solid evidence, I’d be happy to sign the contract,” Adeyinka said, adding that a similar issue with Plateau United had previously led to his exit despite him being on the bench for the match in question.
According to Adeyinka, the Sporting Director at Shooting Stars revised the clause to ensure evidence-based decisions, and he accepted the change.
However, before signing, he travelled to Abuja for an embassy interview. “On Wednesday, while preparing to return, I saw some troubling news on my phone. I quietly turned back home,” he recalled.
He also said he contacted Plateau United’s secretary to ask whether the club had written to the NPFL ITC department to block his registration. “The Secretary assured me that no such letter had been written,” Adeyinka claimed.
The goalkeeper maintains he has not been given a formal chance to defend himself, despite receiving a letter from the NPFL’s ITC department instructing him to respond to the allegations. “As I am confident in my ability to defend myself, I expressed my willingness to do so without a lawyer. Despite this, I have yet to receive an invitation for further discussion or clarification,” he said.
Under Article 15.5, Section B of the NPFL Framework and Rules, players are strictly prohibited from betting, with sanctions under Section C for offenders.
The league has yet to respond publicly to Adeyinka’s request for a hearing.
A few weeks back, Italian outlet Football Italia reported that another Nigerian international goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, was handed a two-month suspension for illegal betting following an investigation by Italian football authorities.
The Udinese shot-stopper narrowly avoided a far harsher punishment—a possible four-year ban for sporting fraud.
The 2025/26 NPFL season kicks off on 22 August, with defending champions Remo Stars hosting Rivers United in the opening weekend.
Shooting Stars, the club at the centre of Adeyinka’s dispute, will face Bayelsa United in Ibadan.
