Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been banned for two months and fined £20,000 for breaching the Football Association’s betting rules.
The FA announced on Thursday that an independent regulatory commission had imposed the ban on the 23-year-old Italy international, which will run throughout the 2024-25 season and will affect his future after pleading guilty to 50 offences. has warned about the conduct of .
Tonali, a £55million summer signing from AC Milan, is currently serving a 10-month worldwide ban for similar offenses imposed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in October last year. are
An FA statement read: “An Independent Regulatory Commission has sanctioned Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali for misconduct in relation to the FA’s betting rules.
“The FA charged the midfielder with 50 breaches of FA Rule E8 for betting on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023, and he pleaded guilty.
“The Independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a two-month suspension from football and all football-related activities, which runs until the end of the 2024/25 season, unless there are further breaches of the FA’s betting rules. together with a £20,000 fine and warning.”
The decision means Tonali, who had played just 12 matches for the Magpies at the time of the original suspension, will be free to play again on August 27, a relief for head coach Eddie Howe, who The acquisition of the player was looked forward to. A first Champions League campaign in two decades as a coup.
When news of the initial offenses emerged, Newcastle quickly vowed to help the player with what his agent Giuseppe Riso described as a “gambling addiction”, and his co-operation with the investigation was confirmed by the FA. has admitted.
A statement from the club read: “The period of the ban is fully suspended for the duration of the 2024/25 season, i.e. at the end of the current 10-month ban imposed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Will be available for return to competitive football on 27 October 2023.
“Provided he commits no further breaches of FA betting rules during the period of suspension, Sandro will not serve any part of the two-month sanction.
“As the FA acknowledged in written reasons to the Independent Regulatory Commission, the assistance Sandro has provided by self-referencing and fully cooperating with the subsequent investigation has been exceptional and unprecedented.
“Sandro made full admissions to his betting activity, and did so in circumstances where there was no other evidence to support corruption proceedings.
“Sandro continues to follow a treatment and education program with the full support of the club and will continue to train with his team-mates.”
Credit : www.independent.co.uk
