According to the Daily Mail, Brentford striker Ivan Toney is being investigated by the FA over allegations that he bet on football.
The investigation, which has been ongoing for seven months, has not concluded, and the striker has not yet been charged with any crime.
The investigation is believed to be related to “alleged gambling activity” while he was playing in the lower leagues before joining Brentford.
A source told The Sun:
“Iván is aware of the investigation. He is worried but insists that he has done nothing wrong.
“The FA has a duty to act fully on the complaints it receives. But it’s obviously a very sensitive matter for the FA as they also need to name him in England’s World Cup squad.”
Although there is no indication that the player has ever “bet on his own team to lose”, there is a “worldwide ban on all football betting” for professional players under FA rules.
The rules say:
“Players may not bet, either directly or indirectly, nor instruct, allow, cause or enable any person to bet on the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect or event related to a football match or a competition.
“Or any other matter relating to or related to football anywhere in the world, including, for example and without limitation, the transfer of players, the employment of coaches, the selection of teams or disciplinary matters.”
Toney’s inclusion in the World Cup squad while under investigation raises questions about the FA’s handling of the situation.
If Toney is found to have breached FA rules, his selection would conflict with the body’s “commitment to transparency in betting”.
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The strict rules regarding gambling were introduced after a series of betting controversies in 2014.
Over the years, the FA has banned and punished a number of professional footballers on gambling charges. In 2017, Joey Barton was suspended for 18 months for placing 1,260 bets between 2006 and 2013.
Daniel Sturridge, a former Chelsea and Liverpool striker, was also charged in 2020. He was banned for four months and fined £150,000 for collaborating with his brother to bet on his potential transfer from Liverpool.
The most recent betting scandal occurred last month, when former Reading defender Kynan Isaac was suspended for ten years for intentionally receiving a yellow card in an FA Cup first-round match.
