Super Eagles goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka has called on the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to give him a fair hearing after he was suspended over betting allegations.
The NPFL, in a letter signed by Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi on Tuesday, 5 August 2025, announced that Adeyinka’s registration had been put on hold while an investigation is carried out. The action followed claims by Plateau United FC that the player was involved in betting during the 2024/2025 season.
The league body also said Adeyinka had refused to sign a contract with Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) because it included a clause allowing termination if a player was found guilty of betting. They said this refusal raised more concerns.
Under Article 15.5 of the NPFL Framework and Rules, betting by players is banned, with punishments outlined in section C. The NPFL warned that betting on matches involving a player’s own league harms the integrity of the game.
Reacting to the suspension in a social media post on Sunday, 10 August 2025, Adeyinka denied the allegations and explained that he had only questioned the criteria for judging betting cases after his experience at Plateau United.
“Shooting Stars invited me and treated me well. After my medicals, I was given a contract, but I asked how the club would judge if a player was involved in betting. I told them I would sign if it was based on evidence and not rumours or speculation. Plateau United judged me on rumours over a match I didn’t even play,” Adeyinka wrote.
He added that the 3SC sporting director agreed to adjust the contract to include “evidence only” as the basis for judgement. Adeyinka said he left Ibadan with permission to submit his passport in Abuja, but while away, he saw news of his suspension.
“This is my pleading to the LMC: invite me over, invite Plateau United over, and invite Shooting Star over,” he said.
Adeyinka, who has represented Nigeria at youth level and been called up to the senior national team, now faces an uncertain future ahead of the new NPFL season, which begins on 22 August. If he is cleared, his registration may be reinstated