FA reduced Ivan Toney's suspension due to gambling addiction diagnosis - ESPN

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been diagnosed as a gambling addict, which led him to bet on his own clubs to lose matches, according to the English Football Association's (FA) reasons for handing him an eight-month ban.

The 27-year-old was hit with the suspension and a £50,000 fine earlier this month after he accepted 232 breaches of the FA's rules on betting.

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English football's governing body published the independent regulatory commission's full verdict on Friday and revealed they pushed for a 15-month ban but handed down a reduced punishment after taking into account the striker's guilty plea and evidence from a psychiatry expert who concluded he is an addict.

The FA report read: «The Commission had the benefit of a report from Dr Philip Hopley dated 2 February 2023 who also attended the hearing by video conference to answer questions.

»Dr Hopley had interviewed Mr Toney on two occasions and concluded in his report that Mr Toney has a clear history of gambling addiction.

«There is no need to set out the details of the report in these reasons. It was Dr Hopley's conclusion that Mr Toney needs professional help in respect of his addiction.»

It has also emerged that Toney placed 13 bets on his own team to lose in seven different matches between August 2017 and March 2018 when he was on loan from Newcastle United at Wigan Athletic and then Scunthorpe United. He did not play in any of those matches.

In another charge, Toney told a friend that he would start his club's next game in March 2018 when it was not public knowledge and also admitted lying to the FA when first questioned about the charges. Toney has now stopped gambling on football, and the report stated he is