Ivan Toney Ban Expected to Last At Least Six Months After Pleading Guilty

The reality of an Ivan Toney ban has moved once step closer to materialising this week, after he pleaded guilty to many of the 262 breaches put forward by the FA in relation to their betting regulations.

The Brentford striker did however deny some of the breaches, but the overwhelming majority of the charges made against him have been accepted, and a lengthy ban now awaits.

With initial charges now becoming official, the next step will involved him attending an FA disciplinary hearing, which is set to be held imminently.

Between the years 2017 and 2021, Toney was found to be in breach of the FA’s gambling laws a total of 232 times, with the governing body uncovering a further 30 instances that occurred in the period between 2017 and 2019.

Case studies in the past involving footballers and betting have resulted in lengthy bans, with ex-Newcastle midfielder and current Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton perhaps the most infamous culprit. He was banned for 18 months after being found guilty of 1,260 breaches over a ten-year period.

Meanwhile, high-profile names such as Daniel Sturridge, Kieran Trippier and Andros Townsend all faced suspensions from football after breaching the FA’s rulebook.

When Will Ivan Toney Be Banned?

With 14 goals in the Premier League this year, the 29-year-old has cemented himself as one of the finest marksmen in the league, which also earned him a first call-up to the England squad. However, he will more than likely miss the Three Lions’ upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Ukraine and Italy at the end of this month under the scrutiny of media pressure.An Independent Regulatory Commission will also need to make a final decision as to the severity of his ban, but it seems unlikely that any proceedings will begin before April.

How Long Will He Be Banned For?

Given the number of counts in Toney’s case, the suggestion is that he will be unable to play for Brentford for at least six months, although the club will take comfort in the fact that this may extend into the summer break. However, this would rule him out of any pre-season preparations for the Bees.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the imminent ban, the former Newcastle and Wigan striker has attracted attention from a whole host of clubs, including Tottenham and Arsenal, but he remains under contract in West London until 2025.