Brentford's Toney handed eight-month ban for breaching betting rules
Sports
Toney will not be able to play for club or country until Jan. 16, 2024
London, Britain (Reuters) - Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney has been banned from football for eight months and fined 50,000 pounds ($63,000) after admitting to 232 breaches of the Football Association's (FA) betting rules, the governing body said on Wednesday.
Toney will not be able to play for club or country until Jan. 16, 2024 and he has been warned as to his future conduct. The sanctions were imposed by an independent regulatory commission after a personal hearing.
The 27-year-old was charged by the FA in November for allegedly breaching the rules 232 times between 2017 and 2021. He was charged with 30 more alleged breaches in December. "The FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232," the governing body said.
"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 can return to training for the final four months of his suspension starting from Sept. 17, 2023.
Brentford said they were awaiting publication of the written reasons of the commission's decision and will review them before considering their next steps. "I am naturally disappointed that I will be unable to play for the next eight months," Toney wrote on Twitter.
"The written reasons for the commission's decision have not yet been published, so I can 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," he added.
"I now focus on returning to play the game I love next season." Toney has scored 20 goals in 33 league games for Brentford this season, helping them to ninth in the Premier League standings. He will miss Saturday's trip to Tottenham Hotspur and the final game of the season at home to leaders Manchester City on May 28.
