Brentford striker Ivan Toney has received an eight-month suspension from all football-related activities after being charged with a total of 262 breaches of betting rules. The English Football Association (FA) issued the suspension, along with a £50,000 fine and a warning about future conduct. Toney, who played for Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United, and Brentford between February 2017 and January 2021, admitted guilt to 232 of the breaches.
The FA’s statement indicated that Toney’s suspension would last until January 16th, 2024. However, he will be allowed to resume training with his club, Brentford, during the final four months of his suspension, beginning September 17th, 2023. The independent Regulatory Commission’s detailed explanation for the sanctions will be published later, and the FA will provide further comment after reviewing them.
Toney’s impressive performances this season, with 21 goals across all competitions, have gained him recognition. He was called up to England’s national squad in September but did not feature in any matches. However, he made his international debut in March during England’s Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Ukraine. Notably, Toney was excluded from Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man squad for the World Cup finals in November.
Brentford FC, Toney’s current club, expressed that they are awaiting the publication of the independent regulatory commission’s written summary before offering comment. The club will review the explanations before deciding on their next course of action.
Football players and personnel are prohibited from betting on any football-related matters, including matches and transfers, to prevent potential conflicts of interest or attempts to manipulate the outcome of games.
Brentford currently sit 9th on the Premier League table with a 13-14-9 record through 36 contests. The club is next in action against Tottenham on Saturday May 20th at 7:30am ET.
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