IVAN TONEY has broken his silence after news broke of his eight-month ban.
The Brentford striker, 27, was slapped with the hefty suspension after admitting 232 charges and fined £50,000 for breaching FA betting rules.
And the immediate ban will see him ruled out of action until January 2024 – and unable to even train until mid-September.
The forward, who made his England debut this year, took to social media on Wednesday evening to have his say.
Toney said: “Today I have received notification of my eight-month ban from football following a hearing before an FA Regulatory Commission that took place yesterday.
“I am naturally disappointed that I will be unable to play for the next eight months.
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“The written reasons for the Commission’s decision have not yet been published, so I make no further comment at this point other than to thank my family and friends, Brentford FC and our fans for their continued support, through what has been a very difficult time.
“I now focus on returning to play the game I love next season.”
Brentford added that they will “review” the written reasons before “considering our next steps”.
The decision wrecks Toney’s year, just two months after he made his Three Lions bow as a late replacement for skipper Harry Kane in the Euro 2024 qualifying win over Ukraine.
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Toney, 27, the third-highest scorer in the Prem this season, with 20 goals and only below Erling Haaland and Kane in the goal charts, was a certainty to be named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for next month’s qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Now, though, he is ineligible for selection and will not be allowed to play for his country until March.
Toney’s charges related to a four-year period between February 2017 and January 2021 when the striker was playing for Scunthorpe and Wigan – on loan from Newcastle – and subsequently Peterborough and the Bees.
There was never a suggestion that he placed wagers on any matches in which he was involved.
Toney appeared before an independent FA disciplinary commission yesterday in an attempt to argue down his looming ban – which will surely rule him out of a big-money summer switch.
Chelsea had been linked with a summer swoop for Brentford’s talisman, who currently earns around £20,000 per week.
He will begin serving his suspension for Saturday’s clash with Tottenham, and will also be absent for the final day match-up with Manchester City.
And Arsenal fans fumed the suspension came in just ahead of the game against City – even though the title race may well already be over by the final game of the season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
