Southgate questions whether Toney’s ban is best way to rehabilitate striker

By STEVE DOUGLAS The Associated Press
FILE - Brentford's Ivan Toney during the Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Bournemouth at the Community Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Toney has been suspended for eight months by the English Football Association for breaching its betting rules. The FA says the England international was banned “from all football and football-related activity with immediate effect” until Jan. 16, 2024. He was also fined 50,000 pounds ($62,000). Toney had faced 262 charges of breaching the FA’s betting rules between late February 2017 and late January 2021 but the FA said it “withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232.” (AP Photo/Leila Coker, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Leila Coker]

England coach Gareth Southgate has questioned whether the eight-month suspension handed to Ivan Toney for breaching betting rules is the best way to rehabilitate the Brentford striker. Toney was banned by the English Football Association from all soccer-related activity until January after admitting to 232 breaches of the governing body’s betting rules. Southgate has addressed the sanction for the first time and appears to be at odds with his own employer about how to deal with Toney’s situation. Southgate says he has spoken to Toney though he is unaware if that was even allowed given the player’s current status.

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