Felipe Hernandez, Sporting Kansas City's midfielder, has been removed without pay following an investigation that revealed violations of Major League Soccer’s gambling integrity rules. He also bet on two MLS matches.
Friday's announcement by MLS stated that Hernandez was found guilty of "extensive, illegal sports gambling" during his time playing for Sporting Kansas City. He also placed online bets on two MLS matches. Sporting Kansas City did not participate in either match and there was no evidence that Hernandez had "confidential information or other non-public information about those two MLS matches." According to the league,
Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City manager, said Hernandez told his club that he had been gambling since July 5. Hernandez told the team that he was worried about his safety because of his gambling debts. Vermes stated during Friday's press conference that he wasn't privy to Hernandez's gambling debt.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind Wharton LLP, an international law firm, conducted the investigation and found no evidence that Hernandez had ever placed a bet on an MLS match involving him.
Hernandez posted on Twitter that he had been treated for gambling addiction and was aiming to return to work.
Hernandez posted on Twitter, "Over the past several months, I was able to reassess and take responsibility for my actions, and get proper care for something which has greatly affected me."
Kansas and Missouri have not legalized sports betting. Since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, sports betting has been legalized in 31 states and the District of Columbia. As the landscape has changed, professional sports leagues such as MLS have partnered up with betting operators. MGM Resorts is the official partner in gaming.
Vermes stated that "gambling" is inevitable in all sports and in a legal manner in a Friday press conference.
Hernandez is the second American professional athlete to have placed a bet on his own sports league within the three years since the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1993, a federal statute that restricted legal sports betting to Nevada. Josh Shaw, an NFL player, was found to have placed a wager on NFL games while he was on injured reserve with Arizona Cardinals.
Hernandez appeared in six matches this year, scoring one goal and providing two assists. Hernandez is eligible to be reinstated January 1, 2022.
The league announced the suspension in a press release. It stated that "the integrity of our game is MLS' top priority" and added that safety of its players was MLS' highest priority. "MLS would like thank Sporting Kansas City and the MLS Players Association, for their cooperation in this matter."
