The Football Association (FA) has disclosed that Ivan Toney, the England international and Brentford striker, supported his own team to lose in a series of bets, despite being suspended from all football activities for eight months due to betting rule violations. Toney, who admitted to 232 breaches of betting regulations spanning from February 2017 to January 2021, received the ban last week, which will last until January 16.
In its written explanation for the eight-month suspension, the FA revealed that Toney placed 13 bets on his team’s defeat in seven different matches between August 2017 and March 2018. Eleven of these bets were against his former club, Newcastle United, while the remaining two were against Wigan, where he was on loan at the time.
The FA reduced Toney’s ban from 11 months to eight, taking into account his clean disciplinary record, expression of “genuine remorse,” and the diagnosis of a gambling addiction. It emphasized that Toney’s bets did not coincide with matches in which he played, as he was either not part of the match squad or on loan to a different club.
According to the FA document, Toney’s bets were placed without any evidence of him being in a position to influence his own team’s performance. He was not eligible to play during those matches and therefore could not impact the outcomes.
FA regulations strictly prohibit players from betting on games or sharing information related to betting. As a result of the sanctions, Toney, aged 27, will be unable to participate in matches until January 2024, although he will be permitted to resume training in September. Alongside the ban, he also received a £50,000 fine.
Psychiatrist Dr. Philip Hopley conducted two interviews with Toney and determined that he had a well-documented history of gambling addiction. The FA acknowledged this diagnosis, stating that the reduction in the ban was a reflection of the identified gambling addiction and Toney’s lack of control over his gambling habits.
Brentford FC, Toney’s club, has pledged its support to him, acknowledging the committed offenses and the inevitability of the sanctions. The club emphasized that none of the charges pertained to events where Toney could negatively influence his team’s performance. They assured that they will provide assistance to Toney and his family in addressing the issues raised in the case. Brentford considers the matter “closed” and eagerly anticipates welcoming Toney back to training in September.
