Evan Toney has been banned for eight months by the FA for betting offences

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Brentford and England striker Evan Toney has been banned from football for eight months for 232 betting offenses.

The 27-year-old will not be able to play for club or country until the ban expires on January 16, 2024.

Toney is also not allowed to train until September.

A statement from the Football Association (FA) read: “Evan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activities with immediate effect for eight months, which runs until 16 January 2024, fined £50,000 and warned that his future conduct is for breach of betting rules. in association football.

The Brentford FC striker has been charged with 262 breaches of FA Rule E8 in total between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021. The FA has subsequently withdrawn 30 of these and admitted the remaining 232.

His sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent organizing committee after a personal hearing. He is only allowed to return to training with his club for the final four months of his suspension from 17 September 2023.

“The Independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course, and the Football Association will await their review before making further comments.”

Tony responded in a statement saying he was focused on “getting back to playing the game that I love next season”.

He said: “Today I received notice of my 8-month ban from football following a hearing before the FA Regulatory Committee which took place yesterday.

“I am naturally disappointed that I will not be able to play for the next 8 months. The written reasons for the Commission’s decision have not yet been published so I am making no further comment at this stage other than to thank my family and friends, Brentford Football Club and our fans for their continued support, During what was a very difficult time.”

Brentford said they are waiting for written reasons to be published before deciding on their next steps.

A club statement read: “Brentford F.C. notes the decision of an independent organizing committee to suspend Evan Toney for eight months from all football and football-related activities with immediate effect.

Ivan has been charged with breaching FA Rule E8 and held a personal hearing earlier this week.

Brentford FC is currently awaiting publication of written reasons from the Independent Regulatory Commission. We will review it before considering our next steps.”

Tony was originally charged with allegedly breaching the FA’s betting rules on 232 occasions, said to have taken place between February 2017 and January 2021.

The FA confirmed in December that Tony had been charged with misconduct in connection with an additional 30 breaches.

Following a report in the Daily Mail claiming Tony was the subject of an investigation by the FA on November 5, he said in an online Twitter post: “I am aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today.

I have been assisting the Football Association with their inquiries and will not be making any comment until this investigation is completed.

Tony played for Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and his current club, Brentford, during the time of his alleged breaches.

The England international, who has capped his country once, has two more years to run for his contract with Brentford.

His final appearance came in a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool on May 6, as he missed Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham with a hamstring injury.

Tony is not the first footballer to be suspended for betting offences.

In January 2021, Newcastle United and England defender Kieran Trippier was suspended for 10 weeks after telling a friend to “jump on” his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Atlético Madrid.

Daniel Sturridge has also been banned for four months for breaking betting rules. It was found that the former Liverpool striker ordered his brother Lyon to bet on a possible transfer to Sevilla, Spain, and gave him inside information during the January 2018 transfer window.

Former Southampton player Matt Le Tissier has revealed his involvement in attempted betting manipulation in his autobiography where he says he tried to “do some bonus at the time of the first throw-in”. However a team mate stopped the ball out of play, and although the incident was referred to Hampshire Police, no investigation was launched.

Lincoln City defender Bradley Wood was banned for six years in 2018 after he was deliberately shown yellow cards in a cup run.

Former Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie has also admitted to betting on his team’s matches – once losing £52,000 because he bet Newcastle beat Stoke City but scored fewer than four goals; Darren Peacock scored the fourth goal.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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