October 17th 2024.
A professional soccer player, Clayton Lewis, who was suspended from the A-League due to accusations of yellow-card fixing, is seeking permission from the court to travel to his home country of New Zealand. Along with former captain Ulises Davila and midfielder Kearyn Baccus, Lewis was arrested and charged for their alleged involvement in a betting corruption scheme.
Davila, who left the club after his arrest in May, is accused of being the middleman between the players of the southwest Sydney team and a criminal group in Colombia. The trio appeared in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, where Lewis's lawyer, Rose Cetin, requested a variation in his bail conditions. Currently, Lewis is not allowed to leave Australia, but he wishes to return to New Zealand. However, Magistrate Christine Haskett declined to hear the application until Lewis had purchased his plane tickets and confirmed his travel dates.
Lewis attended the court session in person, while Davila and Baccus were excused. The cases for all three players were adjourned until December 12, as the police are still waiting for evidence from overseas. In August, it was revealed that the prosecutors were seeking gaming-machine records and statements from bookmakers in Colombia, New Jersey, and Bulgaria.
According to the police, the betting scheme resulted in significant winnings and was controlled by a Colombian contact. Davila allegedly paid Baccus and Lewis up to $10,000 to intentionally receive yellow cards during games in November and December. These cards, issued as cautions for fouls by referees, were manipulated during matches played on November 24 and December 9, in which Macarthur drew with Melbourne Victory and defeated Sydney FC.
Police also claim that similar attempts were made during games in April and May, but were unsuccessful. Baccus was released from the team during a clean-out in 2024, while all three players were suspended from the A-League Men's competition following their arrests. The court hearing was adjourned to December 12, as the police are still waiting for evidence from overseas. Stay updated with the latest breaking news, celebrity gossip, and sports updates by following our WhatsApp channel. Your privacy is protected, and there are no comments or algorithms involved.
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