London: Brentford’s English striker Ivan Toney has been suspended for eight months and fined 50,000 pounds (about 62,500 US dollars) for breaching the Football Association (FA) betting rules.
The 27-year-old, who made his international debut earlier this year, admitted to 232 breaches of the rules, which prohibit players or coaches from betting on the results of all matches, between February 2017 and January 2021, reports Xinhua.
The ban means he will not be able to play again until January 16, 2024, and he cannot train with Brentford until September 17 this year.
“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 September 17, 2023,” the FA stated.
“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,” the FA explained in a written statement.
The decision is a significant blow for the South West London club, as Toney has netted 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances this season and scored 12 goals last season.
Brentford responded to the ban with a statement of their own, reading, “Brentford FC is currently awaiting the publication of the written reasons of the independent regulatory commission. We will review them before considering our next steps.”
–IANS