Sandro Tonali confessed to placing bets on AC Milan games while he was playing for the Serie A team. The Italian midfielder transferred to Newcastle for £55 million this summer. Due to a 10-month ban from football, he won’t be able to play until August 2024.
Sandro Tonali will receive a 10-month ban from football in Italy due to betting on matches, announced the head of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Thursday.
The 23-year-old player, who joined Newcastle for £55m in the summer from AC Milan, will not be able to play for the rest of the season. This also means that he will miss Italy’s Euro 2024 finals if they qualify.
Tonali can train with Newcastle and play in friendly matches, but he won’t be able to play competitive football until August 2024.
He also needs to go to gambling treatment sessions and give talks about his experience for eight more months as part of his agreement with Italian authorities.
Sky Sports News has reported that the PFA is working together with the player.
The federation took action after an investigation by Turin prosecutors into soccer players using illegal websites for betting on games.
Tonali helped with the investigation and his lawyers are trying to make a deal after he admitted to betting on AC Milan to win games during a hearing at the Italian Federation in Turin.
Without his cooperation, Tonali could potentially receive a suspension lasting up to three years according to FIFA rules.
FIGC President Gabriele Gravina stated that Tonali has been suspended for 18 months. However, eight of those months can be reduced by attending gambling addiction treatment and making at least 16 public appearances at centers for young soccer players and associations for recovering addicts.
“We can’t just think about punishing the boys and not helping them recover,” Gravina added. “I think it’s worth a lot more, rather than a month ban, eight months of giving talks about what they went through, in an honest way and with the right behaviour.”
Tonali came off the bench during Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat to Dortmund on Wednesday evening and manager Eddie Howe said the club is “committed to him long-term”.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is saddened by the 10-month ban handed to Sandro Tonali for breaking betting regulations. Hodgson finds it unbelievable that the suspension is so long.
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