Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney has been banned from football for eight months for 232 betting offences.
The 27-year-old will not be able to play for club or country until his ban expires on January 16, 2024.
Tony will not be allowed to train until September.
The Football Association (FA) said in a statement: “Ivan Toney has been banned from any football or soccer-related activity for eight months with immediate effect. This has until January 16, 2024, with a £50,000 fine and caution. His future behavior in breach of FA betting rules.
“The Brentford FC forward was charged with 262 breaches of FA Regulation E8 between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021. The FA subsequently dismissed 30 of these breaches and admitted the remaining 232.
“The penalty was imposed after a private hearing by the Independent Regulatory Commission. He has been allowed to return to practice for the final four months of his suspension, starting on September 17, 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.”
Tony responded that he was focused on the description.Getting back to playing the game I love next season.”
he said: “I have been notified today that I have been banned from football for 8 months following a hearing before the FA Regulatory Commission yesterday.
“I am naturally saddened to be unable to play for the next 8 months. The written reasons for the commission’s decision have not yet been published so I cannot comment at this time other than to thank my family and friends, Brentford Football Club and our fans for their support during a very difficult time,” he said.
Brentford said they are awaiting the publication of written reasons before deciding their next steps.
A statement from the club read: “Brentford FC have been handed a decision by the Independent Regulatory Commission to ban Ivan Toney for eight months from any football or football-related activities.”
“Evan has been charged with breaching FA Rule E8 and had a private hearing earlier this week.
“Brentford FC are currently awaiting the publication of the Independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons. We will review them before considering our next steps.”
Toney was originally charged with 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules, which allegedly took place between February 2017 and January 2021.
The FA confirmed that Toney had been charged with misconduct in relation to 30 further breaches in December.
A report in the Daily Mail claimed Tony had been investigated by the FA on November 5 when he tweeted online: “I know there’s a story about me in a national newspaper today.
“I will assist the Football Association with their inquiries and will not comment until such an investigation has been concluded.”
Tony played for Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United and current club Brentford at the time of the accident.
The England international, who has played once for his country, has two more years left on his contract at Brentford.
He last played in the 1-0 loss to Liverpool on May 6 due to injury in Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham.
Tony is not the first footballer to be banned for betting offences.
In the year In January 2021, Newcastle United and England full-back Kieran Trippier was banned for 10 weeks after telling a friend to “cut off” his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Atletico Madrid.
Daniel Sturridge has been banned for four months for breaching betting rules. The former Liverpool striker has instructed his brother Leon to bet on a possible move to Spanish side Sevilla and has given him insider information on the January 2018 transfer window.
Former Southampton player Matt Le Tissier said in his autobiography that he tried to “make a few quid on the first throw”. A team-mate stopped the ball from going out of play, but the incident was referred to Hampshire police, but no investigation was launched.
Lincoln City defender Bradley Wood has been banned for six years for deliberately picking up yellow cards in 2018.
Former Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie has admitted betting on games involving his own team – and once lost £52,000 because Newcastle scored less than four goals in a win over Stoke City. Darren Peacock scored the fourth goal.
(Photo: Getty Images)