Ivan Toney Faces Lengthy Football Suspension for Betting Violations

Ivan Toney faces a lengthy suspension after pleading guilty to multiple counts of violating the Football Association's betting rules. 

Many, but not all, of the 262 charges brought by the FA in November and December have been admitted to by the Brentford forward. The punishment would be a significant setback for Toney, whose star continues to rise during a stellar season, and for a Brentford team that has made an unexpected push for European qualification. 

Toney was initially charged in November with 232 violations of FA rule E8 between February 25, 2017 and January 23, 2021. The following month, he was charged with violating the same rule 30 times more between March 14, 2017 and February 18, 2019. The alleged violations began when Toney was a Newcastle player on loan at Scunthorpe and continued until he joined the Bees. 

Rule E8 prohibits players from placing wagers on games, soliciting others to do so on their behalf, or sharing confidential information for betting purposes. Kieran Trippier, who was playing for Atlético Madrid at the time, was found guilty of violating it in December 2020 and was banned from all football-related activity for 10 weeks and fined £70,000. 

Toney will likely contest a portion of the charges at the FA disciplinary hearing that will determine his fate. A lengthy absence from the field appears inevitable, and there are other notable examples. Joey Barton was on Burnley's books at the end of his playing career when he accepted charges that he had placed 1,260 bets on football matches between 2006 and 2013. His 18-month ban was reduced to 13 months on appeal. 

If Toney's case is not resolved quickly, he may miss the opportunity to return to the England squad when Gareth Southgate's squad faces Italy and Ukraine in March. A swift resolution could also benefit Brentford in the long run, as the majority of any suspension would likely be served during the summer, minimising his potential absence next season.