Two years ago, All Whites midfielder Clayton Lewis' life changed – arrested and charged for his part in a sports fixing scandal where he intentionally got a yellow card.
In 2025, the 29-year-old pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct that corrupted a betting outcome and, after a lengthy court case, avoided a conviction.
But Lewis was banned from football for five years for his role in the scheme, which took place in an A-League match on December 9, 2023.
Former All White opens up after career-ending betting scandal - Watch on TVNZ+
It cost him his career and friends.
“Yeah, I mean [it was] pretty tough. My whole world got flipped upside down,” Lewis told 1News.
“For something that I did and the mistake I made to affect other people around me, I think that's what hurt the most, for me.
“I’ve really seen who my true friends were and, look, I don't blame them for wanting to stay apart but, yeah, I definitely thought I was closer with a lot more people.”
Lewis was suffering from a gambling addiction when he was asked by Macarthur FC captain Ulises Dávila to deliberately attract a yellow card – for AU$10,000.
“I did have an addiction at the time, and I do feel I was exploited.
“I got told three hours before kick-off and, when you have an addiction, it's hard to kind of process what's actually going on, but you know I don't hide behind the fact that I still chose to do it,” Lewis said.
“For the sake of some money to risk my career for that is something that is so stupid to say, I hear it quite a lot from a lot of people – why I would risk that? If I had known the consequences beforehand, there is no way. If I could go back, I would.”
Lewis accepts, however, that he has to live with the decision he made.
“I think regret would be the biggest [emotion]... sadness would be up there because, you know, I've lost the one thing that I truly loved in what I wanted to do my whole life.
“I dedicated, since I was four years old when I first started playing, to be a professional footballer.”
Now though, Lewis is still getting used to a new normal – with the people closest to him.
“If I didn't have, you know, the support of all my loved ones... backing me the whole way and... being at every single court date with me, I wouldn't be kind of here now trying to enjoy life.”
Lewis is now watching the team he was once in, the All Whites, compete on the world stage.
“I wish I could, you know be in a different place and... be there with the boys over in the States at the moment, but... I'm not
“I have to live with that every day and it still hurts.”
Lewis said he wished All Whites coach Darren Bazeley and the squad every success at the FIFA World Cup.
“I've got some good friends in that team. Some guys who have stuck by me – some who kind of haven't. But I still support New Zealand. I love New Zealand.
“I've always had full respect for Darren and the coaching staff as well. So, I obviously want them to do as well as possible.”
Watch the All Whites' FIFA World Cup and warmup matches live and free on TVNZ+
SHARE ME