Ivan Toney breaks his silence after receiving eight-month football ban
‘I am naturally disappointed’: Ivan Toney breaks his silence after being handed an eight-month ban from football for betting rule breaks… as the Brentford and England striker vows to ‘focus on returning to play the game I love next season’
- Toney has been banned from all football-related activity until January 2024
- He pleaded guilty to most of the 262 betting charges brought by the FA last year
- The 27-year-old has posted a statement on social media after receiving the ban
Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney admits he is ‘naturally disappointed’ after receiving an eight-month ban from football on Wednesday for breaching betting regulations.
Toney, 27, has been banned from all football activity until January 2024 for breaking FA betting rules, coming as a major blow for both the player and his club Brentford.
Mail Sport revealed back in February that the England international pleaded guilty to most of the 262 betting charges brought by the FA last year, before an independent disciplinary commission imposed an eight-month suspension and £50,000 fine following a hearing this week.
After admitting to 232 of the 262 charges concerning bets which were placed over a four-year period, he will not even be permitted to train with Brentford until September.
In light of Wednesday’s news, Toney broke his silence on social media and expressed his disappointment with the outcome, while vowing to ‘focus on returning to play the game I love next season.’
Ivan Toney admits he is ‘naturally disappointed’ after receiving an eight-month football ban
Toney, who made his England debut against Ukraine in March (pictured), pleaded guilty in response to 232 betting charges issued by the FA
The Brentford and England striker broke his silence with this statement on social media
‘Today I have received notification of my eight-month ban from football following a hearing before an FA Regulatory Commission that took place yesterday,’ he wrote.
‘I am naturally disappointed that I will be unable to play for the next eight months.
‘The written reasons for the Commission’s decision have not yet been published, so I 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.
‘I now focus on returning to play the game I love next season.’
Toney’s suspension begins immediately, meaning he will play no part in Brentford’s push for European football in the final two games of the season.
Thomas Frank’s men currently sit ninth, four points adrift of Tottenham in seventh place, with qualification for the Europa League or Europa Conference League still a possibility.
But they will be without their star striker, who has scored 20 Premier League goals so far this season, for the conclusion of that European bid.
The FA released a statement on Wednesday confirming Toney’s suspension, saying: ‘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.
Toney’s ban comes as an enormous blow to Brentford and their manager Thomas Frank (left)
‘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.
‘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.’
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