FA hand Sandro Tonali fresh two-month ban over betting case | OneFootball

Newcastle United and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali has been handed yet another ban for gambling related offences, though this one is suspended.

Tonali has been out of action since October, when he was banned for 10 months from all football related activities after admitting to a series of breaches of the Italian FA betting code, which included betting on his former side Milan while a player there.

Now, the Football Association have handed him a further two-month suspended sentence, which will not come into effect unless further breaches occur in the 2024/25 season.

He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.

“Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban from competitive football by an independent Regulatory Commission after self-declaring breaches of FA Betting Rules,” confirmed a club statement.

“He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.

“The banning period is fully suspended for the duration of the 2024/25 season, meaning he will be available to return to competitive football upon the conclusion of an existing ten-month sanction imposed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on 27 October 2023.

“Provided that he does not commit any further breach of the FA Betting Rules during the suspension period, Sandro will not serve any part of the two-month sanction.

“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.”

The midfielder will be free to make his return to football on 27 August 2024.