Former Crystal Palace player, Boateng, faces imprisonment for drug tafficking

A former Crystal Palace player, Michael Boateng, 33, is facing a prison sentence for supplying cocaine, a class A drug.

Boateng, who was previously sentenced to 16 months in prison for match-fixing in 2014, has been caught again for cocaine supply and is set to be sentenced in November 2024.

According to reports, Boateng was arrested on February 14, 2024, at his residence with a large quantity of cocaine worth over 1 billion naira, making it one of the largest seizures in the UK.

He has since accepted responsibility for the offense and is set to face sentencing next month.

This is not the first time Boateng has been involved in criminal activity. In 2014, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for match-fixing, a scandal that rocked the football world.

Despite this, Boateng failed to turn his life around and has continued to engage in illegal activities.

As Boateng awaits his sentence, many are left wondering what could have been if he had not chosen a different path.

Lifetime ban by FIFA 

Checks by Diaspora Digital Media reveal that in March 2015, FIFA  handed Boateng a worldwide lifetime ban from football after he admitted accepting a bribe to fix an English Conference South match.

Boateng was jailed for 16 months in December 2014 and issued with a lifetime ban by the English FA.

The world governing body extended the ban after the player accepted charges relating to his time at Whitehawk FC.

“A lifetime ban imposed by The Football Association (The FA) against British player Michael Boateng (from England) in relation to match manipulation has been extended by FIFA to have worldwide effect,” a statement on FIFA’s website read.

“Michael Boateng admitted to charges laid against him by The FA for several breaches of The FA Rules, including accepting a bribe, gift, reward or other consideration which was, or appeared to be, related to seeking to influence the outcome or conduct of a match or competition.

The player also admitted to the charge of failing to report the offer made to him.

“The charges relate to matches in the Conference South in the sixth tier of the English football league system in 2013.”

Boateng joined Whitehawk in 2013 after he was released from Newport County. But on December 5, 2013, he was charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of an investigation into match-fixing. He was sacked by Whitehawk the following day.

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