Ivan Toney was identified with a playing dependancy after being charged with 232 counts of breaching English soccer’s betting guidelines, an unbiased regulatory fee mentioned in a ruling printed Friday.
The Brentford striker final week was suspended for eight months due to the breaches. The unbiased fee mentioned in its report that the punishment may have been worse if not for the analysis of his situation.
Toney has been banned from all soccer and soccer-related exercise with fast impact till Jan. 16, 2024. He was additionally fined $62,000.
Among a “substantial number of breaches,” a few of Toney’s bets may have resulted within the most punishment of a lifetime ban, the report mentioned. They included 13 bets on his personal group to lose.
The fee described Toney as a “prolific gambler” who the English Football Association contend was a part of a “sophisticated system” to position bets over an extended time period.
However, testimony from Dr. Philip Hopley, a guide psychiatrist, performed a big half within the size of Toney’s ban. The fee mentioned the participant’s playing dependancy supplied “significant mitigation.”
Toney already had a possible 15-month suspension lowered to 11 months as a result of he pleaded responsible to the costs.
The fee mentioned Hopley’s analysis was of “particular importance” and may end in a “significant reduction” of the ban.
“The lack of control the player has in respect of gambling is clearly a reflection of his diagnosed gambling addiction,” the ruling mentioned. “The place seems to be that Mr. Toney has ceased playing on soccer though he nonetheless gambles on different sports and on line casino video games. He is decided to deal with his playing drawback with remedy on the conclusion of this season.
“Taking all of those matters into account the Commission reduces the sanction by 3 months to a suspension of 8 months.”
Toney has established himself as one of many Premier League’s most prolific strikers after taking part in the early a part of his profession within the decrease divisions of English soccer. While at Newcastle, he had loans at Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe, Wigan and Peterborough earlier than becoming a member of Brentford in 2020.
The prices relate to a interval of 5 seasons from Feb. 25, 2017 to Jan. 23, 2021.
FA guidelines state gamers “shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct” folks to wager on soccer with a view to defend the integrity of the game.
Among the costs, 29 bets or directions to wager associated to golf equipment Toney was registered with or on mortgage with on the time.
Toney didn’t play in any of the seven totally different video games by which 13 bets have been positioned on his personal group to lose. There have been 15 bets on him to attain in matches by which he did play.
According to the report, Toney accepted that he “repeatedly lied” when telling the FA throughout an interview that he didn’t wager on soccer.
The fee additionally discovered that Toney tried to hide the extent of his playing by utilizing different folks’s betting accounts.
The FA had steered a minimal 12-month suspension, in addition to delaying its begin date till the start of subsequent season due to the upcoming offseason break.
Toney might be allowed to return to coaching with Brentford for the ultimate 4 months of his ban.
“I am naturally disappointed that I will be unable to play for the next eight months,” he wrote on Twitter when his ban was introduced.
Toney’s suspension comes at a degree when he’s on the peak of his profession, having not too long ago been known as up for England’s nationwide group. He has scored 20 targets within the league this season, with solely Erling Haaland and Harry Kane above him.
Toney’s ban casts a light-weight on soccer’s relationship with playing. Brentford, as an example, has its shirt sponsored by a betting agency, like numerous different groups.
In April, Premier League golf equipment agreed to ban sponsorship from playing corporations on the entrance of their shirts, however that won’t come into pressure till the tip of the 2025-26 season.
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