IVAN TONEY has admitted a number of FA betting charges – and is set to start a lengthy ban before the end of the season.
Brentford striker Toney was charged with 262 breaches of FA rules outlawing betting on games across two batches of allegations in November and December.
The allegations were revealed by The Sun before the World Cup and while the FA did not put a block on him being selected by Gareth Southgate for Qatar they were something the England boss was fully aware of when he omitted the uncapped striker.
Now it is understood that Toney has admitted a significant number of the charges although he is denying others.
It is expected the formal FA disciplinary commission into the case will be held within weeks, allowing Toney to begin to serve any ban before the end of this campaign and which would include the fallow months across June and July.
The striker has scored 26 Prem goals across two seasons for Thomas Franks’ Bees.
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There is no suggestion that Toney placed wagers on any matches – which took place between 2017 and 2021 – in which he was involved.
Toney, 26, was on loan from Newcastle at Wigan and Scunthorpe during the early part of that period before his moves to Peterborough and Brentford, whom he joined in 2020
England star Kieran Trippier was penalised for breaking FA betting rules after telling a friend to “lump on” ahead of his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid in 2019.
Trippier did not directly place a bet but following an investigation he was banned from football activity for ten weeks and fined £70,000.
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In 2016 Joey Barton was found to be in breach of the betting rules after placing 1,260 bets over a period of ten years.
The following April he was banned for 18 months, effectively ending his career as he retired instead of deciding to appeal his punishment.
Former England striker Daniel Sturridge was banned for four months in January 2018 after being found guilty of passing on information relating to his transfer.
He was also hit with a £150,000 fine and Turkish club Trabzonspor terminated his contract.
Toney has been in red-hot form this season and is the joint-third top scorer in the Premier League.
His tally of 14 strikes is level with that of Marcus Rashford, and only behind those of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
Toney is uncapped at international level, but was an unused substitute for England’s 3-3 draw with Germany last September – prior to missing out on the World Cup.
His impending ban is set to rule him out of the Three Lions’ clashes with Ukraine and Italy next month.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
