Ivan Toney has said he will respond “with no filter” after the FA published the written reasons explaining the striker’s lengthy ban.
The 27-year-old is suspended from playing for eight months, and cannot train with Brentford until mid-September, after admitting 232 of the 262 breaches with which he was charged at the end of last year.
It has now emerged that Toney placed 13 bets on his own club to lose in seven matches between August 2017 and March 2018, although he did not feature in any of those games.
The commission found: “There is no evidence that Mr Toney did, or was even in a position to influence, his own team to lose when he placed bets against them winning. He was not in the squad or eligible to play at the time.”
Toney’s ban was reducted by three months due to a diagnosed gambling addiction, with the commission believing that explained his “lack of control” when betting and determined the striker will seek therapy over the summer.
Had Toney not admitted to the charges his ban would have been 15 months, but the judgement referenced his “genuine remorse” and previous good behaviour off the pitch as factors that were taken into account.
Toney has reacted for the first time since the written reasons were published, posting a brief message on social media.
“I’ll speak soon with no filter,” he tweeted.
Toney later posted on Instagram: “I used to rush to defend myself against false accusations but now I watch to see who believes it so I know who to cut off first.”
