Ivan Toney Betting Investigation Endangers English Player’s World Cup Participation

English Premier League (EPL) striker Ivan Toney says he is cooperating with an investigation by the English people Football Association (FA) into allegations of historical gambling on matches.

The existence of the inquiry, which is believed to make been on-going for septenary months, was revealed by on Sabbatum past The Daily Mail. It is believed to be focused on betting activity that occurred before Toney, 26, signed for his current club, Brentford, and on that point is no more proffer he gambled on or against his own team.

Nevertheless, below FA rules, soccer players inward England and Wales have got been prohibited from betting on association football games globally since 2014, whether they are mired inwards them or not. They are also precluded from gambling on any matter that is in any way of life related to soccer, including player transfers, and from expiration on privileged entropy to thirdly parties.

World Cup ‘Childhood Dream’

Toney has emerged as a powerful nerve center forrard with a lethal destination o'er the past tense deuce seasons. This saw him get his for the first time call in upwardly for the England national squad in September, where he is a viable computer backup for Harry Kane.

But the ongoing investigating could hamper Toney’s dreams of sledding to the World Cup, which kicks sour inwards Qatar inward just below 2 weeks.

England manager Gareth Southgate is circle to denote his picks for the World Cup squad on Nov 10.

I’m aware of a story most me inward a subject newspaper publisher today,” Toney wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “I feature been assisting the Football Association with their inquiries and testament not follow making any notice until such investigation has reached its conclusion.

“I am a proud Englishman and it has e'er been my childhood dreaming to toy for my country at a World Cup finals,” he added.

Ban Possible

Toney has played practically of his life history in the depress leagues of English football. He at started Northampton, before moving to Newcastle in 2015. He played on loan at Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe and Wigan, before joining Peterborough in 2018. He moved to Brentford in 2020, where his goals helped the squad untroubled publicity to the EPL.

Both Brentford and the FA have declined to comment on the matter. Should Toney live found to have breached the FA’s gambling rules, he could human face a lengthy ban from the sport.

Notable players who feature received gaming bans include then-Burnley midfielder Joey Barton, who was sidelined for 18 months after he admitted placing 1,260 bets o'er a decade, including several wagers that related to to his teammates.

In 2020, former England striker Daniel Sturridge was prohibited for iv months for leaking insider entropy well-nigh his change from Liverpool to Inter Milano inward Jan 2018 for betting purposes.