Topic: Ivan Toney Banned for 8 months

[Terry de Niro]

I believe it would still be 4 months.  It's bite one get one free.

[classycarra]

Completely agree with Gareth Southgate on this, in that punishment seems futile for the greater good when used in place of rehabilitation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/65699477

Thought much the same when there were calls for us to sever ties with one of our own players in 2017 actually, but that's another matter.

Adrian Mutu having to pay Chelsea something like £16mil for one (very common) rule break of taking an illegal drug.

At least for Toney he isn't having a contract ended and his fine is smaller than Klopp's, so there's far fewer barriers to getting support (if it's still a problem - I don't think the offences he's guilty of are recent, but that doesn't mean there's no others too). With Mutu his livelihood was being extremely hampered

[Skeeve]

Since he's been banned from football for 8 months, he could sign for everton.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

After reading the case details, I'd say he's very lucky to only receive an eight month ban. Bet against his own team on several occasions (although he didn't play in the games) and backed himself to score multiple times.

[jillcwhomever]

After reading the case details, I'd say he's very lucky to only receive an eight month ban. Bet against his own team on several occasions (although he didn't play in the games) and backed himself to score multiple times.

The more I read about this case, the more incredible it becomes.

[Red-Soldier]

After reading the case details, I'd say he's very lucky to only receive an eight month ban. Bet against his own team on several occasions (although he didn't play in the games) and backed himself to score multiple times.

It's dodgy as anything!

[classycarra]

After reading the case details, I'd say he's very lucky to only receive an eight month ban. Bet against his own team on several occasions (although he didn't play in the games) and backed himself to score multiple times.

Thanks for that, thought I'd heard he'd bet on his own team but good to have it confirmed

Really can't agree with some of the coverage he's received implying he's hard done by. Is there any investigation into how many bets he's placed in recent years, or did they drop investigations after they had enough evidence to do him on the historical bets?

Would love to know how he escaped with a fine a third of the size of Sturridge's £150,000 and less than Trippier's £70,000 given his offences are far more serious (and widespread, and long term)

[rafathegaffa83]

After reading the case details, I'd say he's very lucky to only receive an eight month ban. Bet against his own team on several occasions (although he didn't play in the games) and backed himself to score multiple times.

Thought this before the details came out compared to what Sturridge received for relaying information for a transfer (that never happened). It's even more remarkable that Toney got off so lightly by comparison

[Red-Soldier]

Thought this before the details came out compared to what Sturridge received for relaying information for a transfer (that never happened). It's even more remarkable that Toney got off so lightly by comparison

Perhaps they don't want to come down too hard on gambling, as that's where a huge chunk of the sponsers come from.

Gambling companies are faecal matter.

[rafathegaffa83]

Perhaps they don't want to come down too hard on gambling, as that's where a huge chunk of the sponsers come from.

It apparently has been reduced as a psychiatrist has diagnosed him as a gambling addict. The FA wanted a longer ban

[thaddeus]

It apparently has been reduced as a psychiatrist has diagnosed him as a gambling addict. The FA wanted a longer ban

Addiction is a terrible thing but I think it's a flimsy excuse here.  He could have sought help for his addiction or, as is his right in a free society, indulged his addiction in the hundreds of other gambling markets that aren't football.

I see Gareth Southgate has expressed his morals on supporting the player:

England manager Gareth Southgate says it is important to support Ivan Toney during his eight-month suspension for breaching the Football Association's betting rules, and says it "won't have any bearing" on his international prospects when his ban ends.

Brentford striker Toney, who made his England debut in March, will not be able to play again until January 2024 - approximately five months before the start of the next European Championships in Germany.

"I have spoken with him," Southgate said. "The ban is the ban, it is what it is. I think he recognised and accepted the punishment.

"What bothers me is we’ve got to look after people. He’s injured at the moment - what does he do about getting fit? How do we give him a structure over the next few months that he can develop himself or be a better person at the end of it?"

I feel inclined to just disagree with everything Southgate says these days though since he became a football automaton incapable of expressing an opinion before, during or after Qatar 2022 (except the weird comment that the labourers "want the football to come to Qatar.").

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I have seen what gambling addiction can do to people, so in a sense I can understand wanting to go a little soft on the narrative against Toney, while still making sure it is a big ban so that it is public news - this is the type of story which can be used to show the perils of gambling addiction, as well as the sign that you can and will be supported, and that admitting you have a problem is not the end of the world

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Addiction is a terrible thing but I think it's a flimsy excuse here.  He could have sought help for his addiction or, as is his right in a free society, indulged his addiction in the hundreds of other gambling markets that aren't football.

Well that's kinda the problem with addiction isn't it - you don't tend to get help for it easily, even as things fall apart around you, and you don't tend to think rationally in chasing that high it brings

[jillcwhomever]

Of course football could do something positive here and actually just end sponsorship by betting firms. It's always been reprehensible having the game so closely linked with these firms especially with the match fixing rumours in other parts of the world. Surely they could find other forms of sponsorship, I would imagine a lot of firms would still be interested.

[thaddeus]

Well that's kinda the problem with addiction isn't it - you don't tend to get help for it easily, even as things fall apart around you, and you don't tend to think rationally in chasing that high it brings

I agree but it's laboured to the nth degree with professional footballers that they can't bet on football.  I only ever got to the lower rungs of semi-pro and even at that level we had a twice yearly message from the FA about not betting on football (of course, pretty much all the players and management did, including on matches in their own league and on their own matches).

Toney was free to bet on global horse races that run 24 hours a day, obscure snooker tournaments, back-of-beyond tennis tournaments etc.  I'm not saying any of that is right - I've said my piece on gambling in sport earlier in this thread - but Toney had ample opportunity to chase those highs without breaking any rules.

[disgraced cake]

Judging by past bans it looks like he might have got off very, very lightly 

Sky say the ban would have been worse had he not been diagnosed with a gambling addiction and for the fact he pleaded guilty.

[gazzalfc]

Still fined less than Klopp 

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

Judging by past bans it looks like he might have got off very, very lightly 

Sky say the ban would have been worse had he not been diagnosed with a gambling addiction and for the fact he pleaded guilty.

And I'm not saying he doesn't have a gambling addiction because he very well might, but at the same time if you're visiting a psychiatrist and you know that if they diagnose you with something you will get a lesser punishment you are obviously going to do and say whatever necessary to make that happen.

He made 262 football-related bets over a 4-year period. Now 262 sounds like a lot, but in reality that only averages just over 1 per week, which doesn't really resemble my experience with gambling addicts and seems more recreational to me. I caveat this by saying we don't know how many non-football related bets he has made (or he may have football bets that were never found).

[disgraced cake]

And I'm not saying he doesn't have a gambling addiction because he very well might, but at the same time if you're visiting a psychiatrist and you know that if they diagnose you with something you will get a lesser punishment you are obviously going to do and say whatever necessary to make that happen.

He made 262 football-related bets over a 4-year period. Now 262 sounds like a lot, but in reality that only averages just over 1 per week, which doesn't really resemble my experience with gambling addicts and seems more recreational to me. I caveat this by saying we don't know how many non-football related bets he has made (or he may have football bets that were never found).

Another thing they mentioned on Sky was that his sentence was a bit more lenient because he 'seemed remorseful' (the genuine words) which did make me chuckle a bit. He's not going to stand before them and say he has no regrets, is he?

[Knight]

He bet on himself to score, lol. If you're gonna get done on gambling rules may as well do it by betting on yourself to score.

[Mister Flip Flop]

Unacceptable what he did that's the bottom line. Lucky to get away with such a short ban to be honest.

[AndyMuller]

Surely Brentford fuck him off now if he was betting on them to lose at times?

[bird_lfc]

He bet on himself to score, lol. If you're gonna get done on gambling rules may as well do it by betting on yourself to score.

Yeah true, but betting on your team to lose when you’re not playing isn’t a great look. Sure his teammates are impressed with that

[Wghennessy]

Yeah true, but betting on your team to lose when you’re not playing isn’t a great look. Sure his teammates are impressed with that

He might also be good friends with members of the first team squad, he could do things that could disrupt the team etc.

He's got off very very lightly.

[Crosby Nick]

Surely Brentford fuck him off now if he was betting on them to lose at times?

I doubt they will. He’d be very hard to replace.

Betting on himself to score is quite funny. Betting on Brentford to lose if he was playing would be a lot worse. Obviously agree that he’s been dealt with quite leniently but he clearly has a problem.

Funny that he got a reduced suspension for pleading guilty. Seems like he’d have had quite the job trying to claim he was innocent!

[The North Bank]

Lucky not to be banned for life

[Eeyore]

Surely Brentford fuck him off now if he was betting on them to lose at times?

Why Mathew Benham the owner of Brentford is one of the owners of Matchbook a huge betting exchange. They take bets on Brentford losing. The FA doesn't have a problem with that.

[CraigDS]

Sky Sports for you, literally right next to each other on their site...

[jillcwhomever]

Why Mathew Benham the owner of Brentford is one of the owners of Matchbook a huge betting exchange. They take bets on Brentford losing. The FA doesn't have a problem with that.

It's disgusting and another reason why football should shelve clubs being sponsored by betting companies. They should also be given reduced coverage on the media as well, won't happen of course but it should do.

[Statto Red]

It's disgusting and another reason why football should shelve clubs being sponsored by betting companies. They should also be given reduced coverage on the media as well, won't happen of course but it should do.

I do like a bet myself now & again, but the amount of betting companies involved in sports sponsorship whether sponsoring teams or leagues/tournaments is ridiculous, & really should be banned, sky is amongst the worst offenders too, a broadcaster shouldn't run a betting company,.

[Red-Soldier]

Sky Sports for you, literally right next to each other on their site...

It's a bit like th gutter press labelling someone a pervert, opposite a story with a topless female in it.

Been happening for years.

[Gerry Attrick]

Betting on your own team to lose is grim as hell and should wreck trust in him from everybody at Brentford. Shows what he feels his teammates are capable of. Wouldn’t want him at my club now.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

232 breaches in 4 years doesn't make him much of an addict.

[child-in-time]

Lucky not to be banned for life

I think no footballer has ever been banned for life cause of betting. Townsend admitted to it and got what, 4 months? If I recall correctly, Demichelis was not even banned, but walked away with a fine.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

I do like a bet myself now & again, but the amount of betting companies involved in sports sponsorship whether sponsoring teams or leagues/tournaments is ridiculous, & really should be banned, sky is amongst the worst offenders too, a broadcaster shouldn't run a betting company,.

Sky doesn't run skybet anymore to be fair.

[Romford_Red]

Sky Sports for you, literally right next to each other on their site...

Whilst unfortunate, it really is just that.

Media is my job, websites included and those things are partly controlled by algorithm. The betting ones especially.

[jillcwhomever]

I do like a bet myself now & again, but the amount of betting companies involved in sports sponsorship whether sponsoring teams or leagues/tournaments is ridiculous, & really should be banned, sky is amongst the worst offenders too, a broadcaster shouldn't run a betting company,.

Nothing wrong with a bit of betting, but as you say the advertising is completely out of control and something needs doing about it.

[Statto Red]

Sky doesn't run skybet anymore to be fair.

Didn't know that, but sky still promote skybet to fuck though.

[Eeyore]

I think no footballer has ever been banned for life cause of betting. Townsend admitted to it and got what, 4 months? If I recall correctly, Demichelis was not even banned, but walked away with a fine.

Yeh, it is only if it can be proved that match-fixing was involved that people get life time bans. With the likes of Toney I would class it more as insider trading. They have inside information that gives them an unfair advantage.

[thaddeus]

It's a bit like th gutter press labelling someone a pervert, opposite a story with a topless female in it.

Been happening for years.

Where they offer you a feature
On stockings and suspenders
Next to a call for stiffer penalties for sex offenders

It Says Here by Billy Bragg.  Still one of my favourite songs.