Huw Lake banned

[Pacemaker]

Following a personal hearing with an independent regulatory commission, and a subsequent Football Association appeal, Swansea City player liaison officer Huw Lake has been suspended from all football and football-related activities for 12 months and fined £1,500 following misconduct in relation to betting.

The suspension – which is backdated to March 25 2024 – comes after Huw admitted to breaches of FA rules related to placing bets on football.

Huw admitted the offences upon being charged and he and the club have cooperated fully with the subsequent investigation by the football authorities.

He initially received a 12-month ban – nine months of which was suspended – but the FA chose to appeal that decision.

The full judgement has been published on the FA’s website.

The club supported Huw throughout the FA’s proceedings and will continue to do so.

Swansea City will make no further comment regarding this matter.

From the FA press release

Swansea City’s player liaison officer has been suspended from all football and football-related activity for 12 months and fined £1,500 following misconduct in relation to betting.

The FA alleged that Huw Lake had placed 2,476 bets on football matches between 03 April 2018 and 24 September 2023, and he subsequently admitted to this charge.

An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a 12-month ban from all football and football-related activity, with three months to be served immediately and the remainder to be suspended until the end of the 2024/25 season, and £1,500 fine.

The FA appealed against the independent Regulatory Commission’s decision on the grounds that it came to a decision which no reasonable such body could have come; and imposed a penalty, award or sanction that was so unduly lenient as to be unreasonable.

An independent Appeal Board found that the decision to suspend nine months of the suspension was unreasonable and/or so unduly lenient as to be unreasonable, and it substituted a 12-month suspension to be served in its entirety from 25 March 2024.

The written reasons for both the independent Appeal Board and Regulatory Commission’s decisions can be read below.

 

[Swanjaxs]

Lakey's 12-month suspension will be served in its entirety in the Marquis Arms.

 

[Stopthebus]

I wonder what constitutes to football related activities within his job? I thought his role was to support new players coming into the area I.e helping with accommodation, transport, logistics etc I didn’t think these would be football related.

I thought betting breaches were only for players, coaches

Are all club staff not allowed to bet on football?

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

The Respondent is aged 61 years. He has been employed by Swansea City FC
[SCFC] since December 2004, and as its player liaison officer since 2007; it is clear
from the numerous references which were considered by the Commission that he is
very highly regarded and respected by those who have or have had connections with
SCFC throughout the period of his employment. Sadly, between April 2018 and
September 2023, he placed no fewer than 2476 football-related bets, of which, most
significantly and seriously, 130 were on SCFC to lose. During this period, he staked a
total of nearly £92000, of which he lost slightly less than 10%.

 

[A4Jack]

130 were on SCFC to lose

Not great Huw. 25 a season over 5 years.

 

[Ringwood]

Some people are not very bright..

 

[Pegojack]

Nearly 500 bets a year on average. He must have been living in the bookies and sending out for meals.

 

[PSumbler]

Zero sympathy

 

[magicdaps10]

Zero sympathy

Spot on.

 

[NeathJack]

I'm just amazed he lost money while betting on us to lose.

 

[MajorR]

I think this is very sad to be honest, a 62 year old guy betting £92k ( and losing around £10k) which is a huge amount of cash and to cap it all it could potentially cost him his job.

 

[Pentyrchjack]

Bizarre - the odds on us losing would be low so the potential return on £92k isn't worth the risk (of us not losing or losing his job). Maybe he was betting on the losing score which has higher odds.

I always remember when we were in Premier League some odd things would happen in matches like a goal kick going straight into touch and other odd events. Nothing to do with Huw Lake but nevertheless odd.

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

I'm not sure why the fact he bet on us to lose is seemingly considered an aggravating factor, as least as it reads in the extract I posted above. Surely it's just the act of him placing bets on the club he works for in the only issue, not whether he bet on us to lose, win or draw, or are they implying he might have been slipping some Nytol into Grimes' pre-match liquids or something?

 

[exiledclaseboy]

I'm not sure why the fact he bet on us to lose is seemingly considered an aggravating factor, as least as it reads in the extract I posted above. Surely it's just the act of him placing bets on the club he works for in the only issue, not whether he bet on us to lose, win or draw, or are they implying he might have been slipping some Nytol into Grimes' pre-match liquids or something?

And if he did, how would we know the difference?

A c’mon. It was a tap in.

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

And if he did, how would we know the difference?

A c’mon. It was a tap in.

The perfect crime.