Ivan Toney, a striker for Brentford and England, said he is “naturally disappointed” after being banned from sport for eight months on Wednesday for breaking betting rules.
Toney, 27, has been barred from participating in any football-related activities until January 2024 due to breaking FA betting rules. This is a big setback for both the player and his team Brentford.
An independent disciplinary tribunal handed down an eight-month suspension and a £50,000 fine during a hearing this week for the England player, who had admitted guilt to the majority of the 262 betting-related accusations the FA had filed against him last year.
He was found guilty of 232 of the 262 offences related to bets placed over a four-year period, and he will not even be allowed to train with Brentford until September.
Toney responded to the news by expressing his dissatisfaction with the outcome while pledging to “focus on returning to play the game I love next season.”
“Following a hearing before an FA Regulatory Commission yesterday, I have been informed of my eight-month suspension from football,” he wrote.
‘It goes without saying that I am disappointed that I won’t be able to play for the next eight months.
‘Since the formal justifications for the Commission’s judgment haven’t been made public yet, I’ll stop here other than to express my gratitude to my loved ones, Brentford FC, and our supporters for their unwavering support during this extremely trying period.
“I’m concentrating right now on coming back to play the sport I adore next season.”
Due to Toney’s instant suspension, Brentford’s attempt to qualify for Europe in the season’s final two games will be difficult.
It is still possible for Thomas Frank’s team to qualify for the Europa League or Europa Conference League as they presently occupy the ninth spot, four points behind Tottenham in seventh. 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.
