Ulises Dávila playing for Macarthur FC in 2022. Photo: Steven Markham/Icon Sportswire / PHOTOSPORT
The person at the centre of an A-League spot-fixing scheme has admitted his role in it.
Former Macarthur FC captain Ulises Davila, who played several seasons with the Wellington Phoenix, pleaded guilty in a Sydney court on Thursday to two charges relating to organising and rigging betting outcomes.
Davila had originally faced more charges.
The 34-year old was accused of being the ringleader of a South American betting scheme which involved him and two Macarthur Bulls teammates deliberately earning yellow cards to help guarantee a betting outcome.
He paid former All White Clayton Lewis and Kearyn Baccus $10,000 after they each deliberately earned a yellow card in a match against Sydney FC on 9 December, 2023.
Last month Lewis and Baccus avoided a formal conviction for their roles in the scheme.
Davila pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event and facilitate conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event.
He was facing eight additional charges, all of which were dismissed on Thursday.
Davila is due to be sentenced on 19 December.
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