Ivan Toney bet on his own team to lose 13 times as Brentford striker diagnosed with gambling addiction
26 May 2023, 13:29 | Updated: 26 May 2023, 13:45
Brentford striker Ivan Toney bet on his own team 29 times, including matches he played in, documents published by the Football Association (FA) show.
Toney has admitted to 232 breaches of FA betting rules, covering five season between February 2017 and January 2021.
During this five-year period, Toney played for a number of different clubs, including Newcastle, Peterborough and Brentford.
Toney, who made his England debut this year, has been banned from playing football for eight months, which was reduced from 11 months after the striker was diagnosed with a gambling addiction.
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Toney's breaches broken down
Some 126 bets of Toney's 232 breaches were placed on matches in competitions that Toney's club participated in at the time.
- 29 bets were placed on the club Toney was playing for at the time
- Of the 29, 16 bets were placed on his own team to win 15 matches.
- Toney played in 11 of those matches
- Toney also bet on his team to lose 13 times, though did not play in those matches
- He also placed 15 bets on himself to score.
Psychiatrist Dr Philip Hopley interviewed Toney twice before he was diagnosed with a gambling addiction, with the commission considering his evidence to be "well reasoned and highly persuasive".
"The club will now be doing everything possible to provide support to Ivan and his family to deal with the issues raised in this case," Brentford said in a statement.
"We consider this matter closed and look forward to welcoming Ivan back to training in September."
The Professional Footballers' Association said: "It is crucial that players are properly supported in taking the steps to seek help, and that processes covering punishments for gambling in football take proper account of the wellbeing of players."
