Ivan Toney has been banned from all football and football-related activity for eight months after being found guilty of betting offences.
The Brentford and England striker was charged back in November last year with 232 breaches of the betting regulations. A month later he was charged by the Football Association for an additional 30 breaches. Toney's case dates back to 2017 when he was on loan from Newcastle United to Scunthorpe.
A statement from the FA reads: "Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activity with immediate effect for eight months, fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct for breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules. 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."
He will not be able to play until January 17, 2024, but can train with Brentford from September 17.
Toney issued a statement expressing his disappointment at the outcome.
"Today I have received notification of my eight-month ban from football following a hearing before an FA regulatory commission that took place yesterday," the Brentford striker wrote on Twitter.
"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."
