Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been banned from football activities for two months for 50 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.
Tonali joined Newcastle in a £55 million move from AC Milan in the summer and is currently banned from competitive football until August 2024 for betting on matches in Italy.
The Italy international was then charged with 50 further breaches of FA Rule E8 for placing bets on football matches between August 12, 2023, and October 12, 2023, after he had joined Newcastle.
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.
Tonali has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.
In the written reasons published by the FA, Tonali admitted to placing 40 to 50 bets on football between August and October in 2023, including four bets on Newcastle to win.
The 23-year-old midfielder, 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.
Breaking: Newcastle’s Tonali banned 10 months for betting
However, the FA believe that the integrity of those matches was not called into question due to Tonali’s betting, according to Sky Sports.
The written reasons added: “Whilst (Tonali) did place bets on his own team, all of these bets were for his team (NUFC) 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.”
Tonali said he cannot remember the exact amount he stated on each bet, but it would not be more than €10,000 (£8,560).
He also confessed he would have put other bets on involving Premier League matches, but he denied placing any bets on the Champions League or international football.
The written reasons also said that Tonali self-reported the breaches on October 20, 2023, which was deemed “the earliest possible opportunity”.
Reacting via a statement, Newcastle said: “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.”
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