Ivan Toney’s recognized playing dependancy supplied “significant mitigation” in permitting the Brentford striker a decreased ban from soccer.
Toney, 27, was handed an eight-month ban from the game by an impartial regulatory fee earlier this month, having admitted to 232 breaches of FA guidelines on betting.
The particulars of Toney’s case had been printed on Friday and confirmed that the FA had initially requested for a 15-month ban for the England worldwide that might have began in the beginning of the 2023-24 season, which the impartial fee decreased to eight in gentle of pleading responsible and his medically recognized playing dependancy.
The striker took to Twitter after the written causes had been launched to say: “I’ll speak soon with no filter.”
Toney positioned 29 bets, or instructed bets to be positioned, on golf equipment he was registered with between February 2017 and January 2021.
There had been 16 bets on Toney’s group to win in 15 matches, wherein he performed 11. There had been 13 bets on his group to lose in 11 matches. Of these 13, 11 had been in opposition to Newcastle United whereas he was out on mortgage at different golf equipment. The different two got here when Toney was on mortgage at Wigan Athletic and so they performed Aston Villa, however he was not within the squad.
The fee, due to this fact, concluded that Toney’s case was “not one of match-fixing”.
Toney additionally positioned 15 bets on himself to attain throughout 9 matches.
The fee stated that, in Toney’s case, “there is gambling addiction which provides significant mitigation”.
But it concluded that, though it was claimed that Toney “did not properly appreciate the rules (on gambling) until after he registered with Brentford (in 2020)”, he was the truth is conscious from 2017 that betting on soccer was prohibited by the FA.
Toney additionally claimed that he wager by means of third events as a way to conceal his playing from his mother and father, fairly than the FA. The fee rejected this declare.
Dr Philip Hopley, a “distinguished consultant psychiatrist”, submitted a report in February that discovered Toney had a “clear history of gambling addiction” after twice interviewing him. Hopley concluded that Toney wanted skilled assist to cope with his dependancy.
Hopley’s report led the fee to conclude that “the lack of control the player has in respect of gambling is clearly a reflection of his diagnosed gambling addiction”.
“The position appears to be that Mr Toney has ceased gambling on football although he still gambles on other sports and casino games. He is determined to address his gambling problem with therapy at the conclusion of this season.”
Toney’s eight-month ban from soccer ends on January 16, 2024 however he’s allowed to return to coaching in September.
Brentford additionally issued an announcement upon the discharge of the fee’s report, stating that they think about the matter closed.
The Premier League aspect added that they “will now be doing everything possible to provide support to Ivan and his family to deal with the issues raised in this case”.
GO DEEPER
Ivan Toney’s betting ban shames the entire of soccer, not simply him
(Photo: Getty Images)
