The Football Association will ask FIFA to extend the Ivan Toney ban as a worldwide sanction. This comes after the Brentford star was charged and eventually suspended by the association in England for sports betting. Toney must now refrain from all soccer activities for four months. His match ban extends up to eight months to January 2024.
Following the announcement, Toney’s club issued an official statement regarding the hefty suspension and their possible options looking ahead. “Brentford FC is currently awaiting the publication of the written reasons of the Independent Regulatory Commission. We will review them before considering our next steps,” claimed the club.
Brentford striker had impressive EPL season
Toney has been one of the standout strikers in the Premier League this season. The 27-year-old England international racked up 20 top-flight goals during the current campaign. This has only been topped by superstar center-forward duo Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. Nevertheless, Toney will now be out of action until the middle of the 2023/24 season.
FIFA could ban Toney from playing for any worldwide club
The FA’s decision to apply to FIFA would affect Toney should Brentford opt to loan or sell its star this summer. The association’s initial suspension only extends to English teams. This means that the Premier League club could have possibly loaned or sold Toney during the upcoming transfer window so that the striker could play in matches. However, this appeal to FIFA would close the potential loophole.
Sky Sports senior reporter Rob Dorsett is claiming that FIFA would hear the FA’s plea and then essentially approve the move. He referenced previous similar issues as well. Kieran Trippier and Daniel Sturridge were both given suspensions by the FA for betting while playing abroad. FIFA eventually extended its bans to cover all of its associations.
Along with the lengthy ban, Toney was fined around $60,000. The striker admitted to 232 total breaches of the FA’s sports betting rules. He can begin training with his Brentford teammates in September as his suspension from matches continues.
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