IVAN TONEY has been banned from football for EIGHT months for his gambling shame.
Brentford and England striker Toney has played with the threat of a lengthy suspension hanging over him since he was charged with 232 breaches of FA regulations in November and a further 30 the following month.
And despite bleating about “leaks” in the process as it emerged he had admitted to a number of charges in March, Toney, 27, now faces the full consequences of his actions.
In a statement, the FA also confirmed that Toney had been fined £50,000 for his offences.
It read: “Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activity with immediate effect for eight months, which runs up to and including 16 January 2024, fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct for breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules.
“The Brentford FC forward was charged with 262 breaches of FA Rule E8 in total between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021. The FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“His sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a personal hearing. He is permitted to return to training only with his club for the final four months of his suspension starting from 17 September 2023.
“The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course, and The FA will wait to review them before commenting further.”
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.
Most read in Football
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.
Toney will continue to serve his ban over the fallow summer months, with a view to returning to action in January.
There was never a suggestion that Toney placed wagers on any matches in which he was involved.
Toney has been in red-hot form this season, bagging 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances.
His performances for the Bees earned him an England debut in the 2-0 win over Ukraine in March.
He will now be ruled out of the Three Lions’ remaining Euro 2024 qualifiers, starting with next month’s matches against Malta and North Macedonia.
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.
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.
Read More on The Sun
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 and fined £150,000 in January 2018 after being found guilty of passing on information relating to his transfer.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
