Brentford’s Ivan Toney, the third in the Premier League goal exchange, received a heavy penalty for his betting.
Mika Halonen,
STT Sports
Brentford and England men’s national football team forward Ivan Toney has been banned from all football activities for eight months for breaching betting rules.
Toney allegedly broke betting rules no less than 262 times between 2017 and 2021. The FA overturned 30 suspected infringements, and Toney admitted the remaining 232.
At the time of his offences, Toney represented Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and Brentford.
Toney was also fined 50,000 pounds, or just under 57,000 euros. Toney is allowed to return to his team’s training on September 17, which is four months before the end of his suspension. The ban ends on January 17, 2024.
The rules for betting on professional soccer players are strict in England. They prohibit all betting from players, even on games in which the player himself does not take part.
Toney, 27, has scored 20 goals in the English Premier League this season and is third in the goalscoring market. Brentford is ninth in the league table. Toney has played one match for the England men’s national team.
The FA announced Toney’s punishment on Wednesday on their website (you will switch to another service).
Toney’s club team Brentford said he was waiting (you switch to another service), that the FA will publish a written explanation of the reasons for Toney’s suspension. Then the club decides on its possible further actions. Toney signed a five-year contract with Brentford in the fall of 2020, when the club was still playing below the league level.
Presented by the BBC (switch to another service) other recent bans players have received related to betting.
England national team defender Kieran Trippier was banned for ten weeks in December 2020. He had given information to others that allowed people to bet on Trippier’s transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid.
2017 represented Burnley Joey Barton was banned for 18 months after admitting 1,260 football-related bets over ten years. The suspension was later reduced to 13 months.