FA sanctions Sandro Tonali over betting breaches

Tonali was charged with 50 breaches of FA betting rules.

UK.- The Football Association has handed Sandro Tonali a suspended two-month ban after the midfielder admitted to 50 charges of breaching FA Rule E8 by betting on football matches between August 12 and October 12 2023. The breaches included four instances in which Tonali bet on his own team, Newcastle United.

The FA said: “Whilst Tonali did place bets on his own team, all of these bets were for his team to win the match in question. Tonali’s betting pattern is consistent in this regard. There has been no damage to integrity or perception of the integrity of the match in question or the game as a whole.”

The ban stands suspended until the end of the 2024/25 season. As such, Tonali will be able to play in the Premier League once he has finished the 10-month ban issued by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in August. The FA’s independent Regulatory Commission also imposed a £20,000 fine.

Newcastle FC said: “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 team-mates.”

Tonali reportedly participated in an FA training programme on betting in August 2023, before the breaches, but did not fully understood the content because of his limited English.