The odyssey of Latino soccer players in China took an interesting left turn this week. Brazilian midfielder and 2013 Confederations Cup star Paulinho might be facing deportation from China after running afoul of the country’s gambling and pornography bans. This after the current (but maybe not for long) Guangzhou Evergrande player appeared in an advertisement Letou, an Asian gambling company, before posing in a photograph with Tsukasa Aoi, a Japenese porn actress.
Not only is betting illegal in China, but FIFA also prohibits any player participating in a professional league worldwide from participating in the gambling industry in any fashion.So, while deportation is a more immediate concern, it is possible that Paulinho will also receive disciplinary action from the world soccer governing body.
To add insult to injury, pornography is illegal in China; while Paulinho wasn’t engaging in pornography, it’s hard to see his posing with Aoi as anything but detrimental to any defense he might have for the betting ad.
On top of the legal issues and embarrassment in his playing country, Paulinho is also famously a very religious and very married man, so the story leaking out could provide further problems for the 28-year-old. After all, the photos with Aoi were taken, reportedly, inside the footballer’s own home, which seems ill-advised at best.
In the immediate future, however, the possibility of being deported and voiding his massive contract (reported to be 85,000 pounds a week) will have to be at the top of the midfielder’s mind.