Scandal in LaLiga: A Sevilla player arrested for forcing yellow cards for betting

A regrettable scandal has emerged this Tuesday in LaLiga, with a player from Sevilla FC as the protagonist. The National Police arrested Kike Salas this Tuesday, the center-back of the Sevilla team, accused of intentionally provoking seven yellow cards last season, in a case related to illegal sports betting that allegedly generated profits of around 10,000 euros.

The 22-year-old footballer was arrested during the club's morning training this Tuesday to give a statement at the its total respect for judicial procedures", as well as to respect "the principle of presumption of innocence" of the center-back.

The matches that raised suspicion with the Police correspond to matchdays 31, 33, 35, 36, 37, and 38 of LaLiga 2023-24, against Getafe, Las Palmas, Betis, Villarreal, Cádiz, Athletic, and FC Barcelona. In these seven matches, Salas was booked, in three of them before the end (two in stoppage time) and in another three before halftime. In total, the defender received 10 yellow cards in 23 matches of the tournament.

The penalties that Kike Salas may face

If found guilty, the Spanish defender could face fines in the millions and prison sentences ranging from 6 months to 3 years. Additionally, the 22-year-old player is exposed to a harsh sporting punishment, as LaLiga requested to be part of the prosecution as soon as the scandal broke. According to the Disciplinary Code of the RFEF, in its article 75 regarding "participation in games and betting", it establishes fines from 3,006 to 30,051 euros, along with other sanctions.

Being considered as "a very serious offense", any footballer, coach, executive, referee, and any member of a federative organization linked can be deprived of their professional license for a period of 2 to 5 years, a sanction that can even be permanent in cases of recidivism or maximum severity. For now, the National Police continues the investigation into Kike Salas, who this season has recorded a couple of assists in 16 matches with Sevilla (1,024 minutes), in addition to 3 bookings. The center-back is under contract until June 2029.