Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been handed a two-month suspended ban for 50 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.
Tonali joined Newcastle in a £55m move from AC Milan in the summer and is currently banned from competitive football until August 2024 for betting on matches in Italy.
He was then charged with 50 further breaches of FA Rule E8 for placing bets on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023, after he had joined the Magpies.
The two-month ban is suspended until the end of the 2024/25 season, meaning he will be banned from all football-related activity for that period of time if he makes another breach, but will be able to return from August 27 if he avoids further sanctions. He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.
A statement published by Newcastle read: “As acknowledged by the FA in the independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons, the level of assistance Sandro has provided by self-referring and fully cooperating with a subsequent investigation is extraordinary and unprecedented.
“Sandro made full admissions as to his betting activity, and did so in circumstances where there was no other evidence to support misconduct proceedings.
“Sandro is continuing to follow a therapeutic plan and educational programme with the club’s full support and will continue to train with his teammates.”
In the written reasons published by the FA, Tonali admitted to placing 40 to 50 bets on football between August and October of last year, including four bets on Newcastle to win.
The 23-year-old – who admitted he was aware that betting on football is illegal – played in four out of the five matches, and was an unused substitute in the other.
More to follow…
This is a breaking news story that is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh this page for the latest updates.
Sky Sports brings you live updates as they happen. Get breaking sports news, analysis, exclusive interviews, replays and highlights.
Sky Sports is your trusted source for breaking sports news headlines and live updates. Watch live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, F1, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Rugby League, Rugby Union, NFL, Darts, Netball and get the latest transfers news, results, scores and more.
Visit skysports.com or the Sky Sports App for all the breaking sports news headlines. You can receive push notifications from the Sky Sports app for the latest news from your favourite sports, you can follow @SkySportsNews on X to get the latest updates and you can also now follow Sky Sports’ WhatsApp channel.
