English Premier League footballer Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activity for eight months for breaching The Football Association’s betting rules.
The Brentford striker 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 Toney admitted to the remaining 232.
His sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a personal hearing. The written reasons for the sanctions will be published in due course, and The FA will wait to review them before commenting further.
Toney, who has been capped once for England, will now miss Brentford’s final two games of the season and will be unable to return to football until 16 January 2024.
He is permitted to return to training only with his club for the final four months of his suspension starting from 17 September. He has also been fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct.
“Today I have received notification of my eight month ban from football following a hearing before an FA Regulatory Commission that took place yesterday. I am naturally disappointed that I will be unable to play for the next eight months,” Toney said.
“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.”