England international Ivan Toney has argued that missing the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was a heavier punishment than the punishment he received for breaking the betting laws of the English FA.
The embattled Brentford striker was given an eight-month suspension from football after pleading guilty to 232 gambling-related crimes in May 2023.
The 27-year-old was handed a lesser sentence due to a known gambling addiction, and he won’t be allowed to play professional football until January 17, 2024.
On September 17, four months before the ban ends, he can resume training with Brentford.
Recall that Ivan Toney was dropped from coach Gareth Southgate’s 26-man World Cup team after being indicted in November 2022.
In a chat with the Kick Game YouTube channel, Toney said, “Support is good, but how I am, I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me.
“Even though I miss eight months of football, that was the biggest punishment, to miss out on a World Cup – everyone’s dream – it is bigger than missing eight months of football.”
Ivan Toney was first called up to Southgate’s squad in September of last year, and he earned his first England cap as a late substitute in the 2-0 victory over Ukraine in the Euro 2024 qualifying match in March.
With 20 goals, Toney finished third in the Premier League goalscorers chart and helped Brentford to a ninth-place finish in the 2022-2023 season.
“I done what I did before, the punishment is the punishment and get on with it,” Toney said.
“I just have to focus on when I come back from training. I want to be a different animal when I come back. It’s going to be frightening.”
