Brentford midfielder Ivan Toney has been charged with 232 alleged betting breaches between February 2017 and January 2021, the Football Association has announced.
-Toney, who was not included in England’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, has previously said he is assisting the FA in its inquiries into match-fixing allegations.
After the report in Daily Mail said he was interviewed by the FA, he wrote on November 5: “I know the story about me in the national newspaper today.
“I have been assisting the Football Association with their inquiries and will not comment until the investigation is complete.
“I’m a proud Englishman and it’s always been my childhood dream to play for my country in a World Cup final.”
The 26-year-old has until Thursday, November 24 to answer the charges.
The FA said on Wednesday: “Ivan Toney has been charged with misconduct in breach of FA rules.
“It is alleged that Brentford FC players breached FA Rule E8 232 between February 25, 2017 and January 23, 2021.
“Ivan Toney has until Thursday, November 24 to respond.”
Brentford said in a statement: “Brentford FC has been informed that Ivan Toney has been charged with breaching FA Rule E8.
“The club has discussed this with Ivan and his legal representatives and these discussions will continue in confidence.
“We won’t talk more until the matter is settled.”
Toney began his career at Northampton, before moving to Newcastle in 2015. He played on loan at Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe and Wigan, before joining Peterborough in 2018. He then moved to Brentford in 2020, where he scored 58 goals in 105 games.
What are the rules on football betting?
Football betting is prohibited worldwide for players, managers, coaches, club staff, referees and licensed supporters involved in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women’s Super League, Women’s Championship and Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues.
Participants in this ban are prohibited from placing bets, directly or indirectly, on any football match or competition held anywhere in the world.
The ban also includes betting on any other football-related matters such as player transfers, managerial appointments or team selection.
Providing inside information to a person who uses that information for betting is also prohibited. Insider information is what you know because of your position in the game and what is not publicly available, such as injury news or team selection.
You are not allowed to use insider information to place bets or instruct someone else to do so on your behalf. Similarly, you are not allowed to provide any internal information to a third party that they use for betting purposes.
Top players who have been penalized for betting
Other high-profile players charged with breaching FA betting rules include England World Cup squad member Kieran Trippier, who was banned from football for 10 weeks and fined £70,000 for telling a friend to “ruin” his hopes of joining Atletico Madrid before leaving Tottenham in 2019.
Daniel Sturridge was also punished for revealing the details of the transfer. After being handed a six-week suspension, his sentence was increased to a four-month ban and a £150,000 fine after he was found to have advised his brother to bet on a January 2018 trip to Sevilla.
Joey Barton was given an 18-month ban in 2017 after placing 1,260 bets on football between 2006 and 2016. The punishment resulted in his retirement from football, although the period was reduced by five months on appeal.
