ITALY and Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been issued with a ban of 10 months from football for placing illegal bets on matches.
The president of the Italian football federation, FIGC, Gabriele Gravina confirmed today that the 23-year-old Tonali will be banned for 10 months and will have to follow a rehabilitation programme for eight more months.
“The FIGC Prosecutor and Tonali have reached an agreement which I have already approved,” said the FIGC President.
“The agreement consists of a 10-month ban plus eight months of rehab activities and at least 16 public appearances.”
Tonali, who joined Newcastle from AC Milan in August, confessed in his deposition to the authorities last week that he had placed bets on football matches.
The bets included games involving Milan, his team at the time, but because he bet on them to win, he was not investigated for potential match-fixing.
It is against the rules for all football players to bet on any sporting event, but games involving their own teams carry graver consequences.
“Rules provide a ban for a few years, but there can be a plea agreement and attenuating circumstances,” Gravina added.
“The guys collaborated above and beyond expectations, so we will continue to follow the rules we had adopted.”
Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli was also given a seven-month ban recently for similar offences.
Brentford striker Ivan Toney is still serving a long-term ban for also betting on football matches.
Tonali will miss the rest of the season and also the 2024 European Championships if defending champions Italy qualify.
