Ulises Davila, Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis promised to fix their team but allegedly fixed their games and have been nominated for The Frownlow Medal.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL star Talatau Amone is the most recent recipient.
The trio promised to stop the form slump which saw the Macarthur Bulls slide out of the finals of the A League Mens, but have instead created the biggest betting scandal in A League history.
Captain Davila, as well as Baccus and Lewis, have been accused of manipulating yellow cards during their games for gambling purposes. It is claimed that Mexican-born Davila was taking instructions from a man in South America to organise yellow cards during certain times in A League matches in November and December of 2023, and again in April and May of 2024.
Davila were arrested at his home in Sydney and police allege he paid Baccus and Lewis for giving away yellow cards following instructions from ‘El Jefe’ in South America. He has been charged with numerous offences including engage in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome of an event, while his teammates have been charged with participating in a criminal group.
It’s an each way bet as to whether they will play football again in Australia, and whether they will earn the right to attend the awards night for The Fronwlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame – unless they get instructions from El Jefe!
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 