Ivan Toney, Sandro Tonali… top footballers facing ban for sports betting
The round leather game has seen its fair share of controversies. Players often make headlines for their incredible skills and accomplishments in the game however, there are times when they find themselves on the wrong side of the law or the sport’s governing bodies.
Sports betting is a widespread phenomenon, enticing both fans and players alike. There have been various instances where footballers have fallen prey to the allure of sports betting and paid a heavy price for their involvement.
After being found guilty of betting on teams he played for, Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been banned for 10 months by the Italian football federation – ruling him out of the rest of the season as well as competing for Italy at next year’s European Championship, but which other players have been banned for betting? In this article, we explore some other notorious cases of players who have been banned due to their involvement in sports betting scandals.
1. Ivan Toney – 8 months and £50,000 fine.
England international forward Ivan Toney of Brentford made headlines when he was handed a lengthy eight-month ban for betting-related infractions. Toney’s suspension, which he accepted for a whopping 232 infractions of the Football Association’s betting regulations from February 2017 and January 2021, has severely hampered his career and kept him from playing for Brentford or for his nation until January 2024.
2. Daniel Sturridge – 4 months ban and £150,000 fine
Former England’s first-choice striker and a crucial part of Brendan Rodger’s title-challenging Liverpool squad, Daniel Sturridge was once handed a four month ban for sports betting.
Following claims that he disclosed details about a possible transfer in January 2018, Daniel Sturridge was found guilty of violating the betting regulations in 2019. He was hit with a £150,000 fine with a four month and Turkish club Trabzonspor swiftly terminated his contract at the club.
3. Kieran Tripper – 10 weeks and fined £70,000,
The FA fined England international and former Tottenham full-back Kieran Trippier for breaking their betting regulations in a case that raised interesting questions. Trippier shared the message “Lump on if you want” on WhatsApp with close friends in July 2019, while he was moving from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid. Sadly, his buddies took this advise literally and made several wagers while moving, ruining the reputation of the game.
Trippier was ultimately barred from all football-related activities for ten weeks, fined £70,000, and faced further expenses after a comprehensive FA investigation and the turn-in of his phone.
4. Joey Barton – 18 months with £30,000 fine.
Joey Barton was also banned in December 2016 for allegedly breaking the FA’s betting regulations. The copious amount of evidence against the former Manchester City player showed that he had placed 1,260 bets over a ten-year period of March 26, 2006, and May 13, 2016, many of which involved his different teammates. The FA claimed that Barton had broken the rules by placing bets on “football matches and competitions”. The ban effectively ended his playing career.
5. Andros Townsend – £18,000 fine and four months ban
Former Tottenham Hotspur winger and England international Andros Townsend was disciplined in 2013. Townsend was fined £18,000 by the FA and banned for four months, with three months suspended, after he admitted of betting on matches, even ones in which he had no involvement in. Townsend said he learned his lesson and quickly expressed regret.
By Chimezie Amos