Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been suspended for eight months after admitting to breaking Football Association betting rules.
Toney was also fined £50,000 and warned about his future behavior for 232 violations of the FA’s betting rules.
His suspension begins immediately, although he can return to training with Brentford four months before it expires on September 17th.
He won’t be able to play again until January 17, 2024.
“His [Toney’s] sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a personal hearing,” the FA stated in a statement.
“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.”
Toney committed the violations between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021, while playing for Scunthorpe United, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United, and Brentford.
Toney has 20 Premier League goals in 33 Premier League games this season, guiding Brentford to ninth position.
He will miss Brentford’s trip to Tottenham on Saturday, as well as the season finale against league leaders Manchester City at home on May 28.
Brentford say they are aware of the FA’s decision and will “consider our next steps” after the official reasons are published.
Toney earned his first England cap as a late substitute in the 2-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win over Ukraine in March, after been called up to Gareth Southgate’s squad for the first time in September.
The FA banned England defender Kieran Trippier for ten weeks in December 2020 for disclosing information that allowed others to gamble on his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid.
Joey Barton, a Burnley player at the time, was banned for 18 months in 2017, which was reduced to 13 months on appeal, after admitting to placing 1,260 football-related wagers over a 10-year period.
