Ulises Davila, a former Chelsea player and Mexican midfielder, has confessed to his central role in a betting scandal that rocked Australian football. Davila, who first made headlines with his signing by the Blues in 2011, pleaded guilty to manipulating betting outcomes in six A-League matches during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Court proceedings revealed that Davila orchestrated a scheme involving two of his teammates at Macarthur FC, where he served as captain. The most significant incident occurred during a December 2023 match against Sydney FC, when Davila deliberately received a yellow card for kicking the ball away. This act was part of a broader plan that saw bets placed on Macarthur players accumulating at least four cautions in a single game.
His teammates, Clayton Lewis and Kearyn Baccus, also received yellow cards during the match, drawing further suspicion. Both admitted in court that Davila had asked them to participate, describing him as “not only the captain of the team, but the captain of the scheme.” The court was told Davila paid each teammate around £5,000 for their involvement.
While Lewis and Baccus escaped conviction, receiving good-behaviour bonds, all three players were suspended and released from their contracts. The scandal has not only ended their tenures with Macarthur FC but has also left a lasting stain on Davila’s legacy in Australian football.
Davila, who became the first Mexican to sign for Chelsea, had a turbulent career across several clubs in Europe and beyond. Despite his early promise, he never played for Mexico’s senior national team, which hampered his chances in English football. After a series of loan spells in the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal, he eventually found success in Australia, culminating in his captaincy at Macarthur FC.
The legal saga reached a turning point when Davila pleaded guilty to charges of facilitating and engaging in conduct that corrupted betting outcomes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19. Prosecutors withdrew eight additional charges, including allegations that Davila directed and participated in a criminal group, as the case moved forward in the Downing Centre Local Court.
The ripple effects of this scandal have been felt across the A-League, raising questions about integrity and oversight in professional sports. As Davila awaits sentencing, the football community continues to grapple with the fallout from one of the most high-profile match-fixing cases in Australian history.
