Ivan Toney Slams 'spiteful' FA in First Interview Since 8-Month Ban for Betting Breaches

• Ivan Toney was banned for eight months after admitting to betting breaches
• The Brentford striker will be away from football action until January 16 2024 following the ban
• Speaking on the ban for the first time, Toney accused the FA’s investigation into his case as ‘spiteful’

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has hit out at the FA for the ‘spiteful’ leaking of his betting charges.

Toney spoke candidly for the first time since receiving an eight-month ban after admitting 232 breaches of the Football Association's betting rules.

Last month, Toney was fined £50,000 and banned from all football activity until January 17 for betting offences over a four-year period.

The allegations against the 27-year-old initially came up in late 2022, and effectively cost him a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Qatar World Cup.

Toney opened up in the Kick Game YouTube channel, where he claimed missing out on the World Cup was more painful than the 8-month ban that was imposed on him.

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He also faulted the FA for the manner in which his betting offences were publicized, describing it as ‘spiteful’.

'People try to break people down,' He said as per BBC.

'It came out, just before the England camp, obviously missing out on the World Cup… In a way, it was kind of like: 'get out now so you don't go [away with] England'.

'And then all of a sudden they want to wait until the end of the season... but it is what it is. They wanted to do it that way. I call it a bit spiteful. You just have to get on with it.

According to Toney, missing out on the World Cup was a ‘bigger punishment’, but he hopes to make the next one, when he will be 31.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham had previously stated there was no relationship between the timing of the betting charges and Toney’s omission from the England squad, which he claimed was for sporting reasons.

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Toney’s plan B to keep fit

Sports Brief also reported on Ivan Toney’s next course of action to stay fit after he was banned from footballing activity.

The 27-year-old could join a rugby team for pre-season ahead of his return to training on September 17, as their core fitness training regime is fundamentally similar to football.

Brentford boss, Thomas Frank and England national team head coach, Gareth Southgate both frowned at the ban on training, claiming it is not the best rehabilitation process to leave him out of the football community.