Top FA chief involved in West Ham midfielder's Lucas Paqueta spot-fixing case takes up Saudi Arabia role

A second senior Football Association executive in a year is making the switch to Saudi Arabia in the long run up to the 2034 World Cup.

Tarik Shamel is ending a career of more than 20 years at the FA to join legal chief Polly Handford, appointed as the Saudi Football Federation’s General Counsel in February last year.

Shamel, formerly head of integrity and then chief regulatory officer, has been a key player in the Lucas Paqueta betting case since the West Ham United midfielder came under investigation in August 2023.

The FA are seeking a lifetime ban for Paqueta, who is charged with spot-fixing offences across four Premier League matches. The hearing has been adjourned until the summer.

Shamel was the FA contact for their Brazilian counterparts when Paqueta’s national side wanted to ascertain whether he was available for selection ahead of last year’s Copa America.

The 55-year-old has been responsible for overseeing on and off-field misconduct, which includes match-fixing, disciplinary matters and doping. Shamel has also sat on tribunals in snooker and darts.

Shamel has been a key player in the Lucas Paqueta betting case since the West Ham United midfielder came under investigation in August 2023.

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FA sources say they are splitting Shamel’s role into two jobs and have already made appointments.

The Saudi FA view the recruitment as a coup in an attempt to develop best practices before they host the World Cup in nine years’ time.

Shamel and Handford worked closely together across nine years at the FA, with the Sheldon review into non-recent child sex abuse commissioned during their time.

‘I’ve never felt so welcome,’ Handford told the Business Behind Sport podcast. ‘’ feel incredibly valued, I don’t feel any different here to the UK. I feel safer here than (in parts of) London.

‘They are so open to change. I don’t want to just reproduce what we had in English football. 

‘I’m looking to grow certain elements of my own department, particularly the integrity side – there is a lot more we could do. I’d like to take my experiences from English football and bring it here.’