Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been handed a suspended two-month ban from football by an independent commission after breaching the Football Association’s (FA’s) betting rules.
The FA charged Tonali with 50 breaches of FA Rule E8 for placing bets on football matches between August 12, 2023, and October 12, 2023. Tonali admitted to placing the bets and was also fined £20,000 ($24,968) and received a warning.
The ban, suspended for the duration of the 2024-25 season, allows Tonali to return to action for Newcastle after serving a 10-month suspension imposed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in October 2023 for similar breaches of gambling rules.
Despite the potential for a three-year suspension under FIFA and FIGC regulations, Tonali’s cooperation with authorities, including the FIGC and the Italian prosecutor’s office, led to a reduction in the length of his ban.
Newcastle issued a statement acknowledging Tonali’s assistance and cooperation throughout the investigation, describing it as “extraordinary and unprecedented.” Tonali made full admissions regarding his betting activity, which lacked supporting evidence for misconduct proceedings.
The midfielder continues to follow a therapeutic plan and educational program with full support from the club and will continue training with his teammates.
Newcastle signed Tonali from AC Milan last summer in a deal reported to be worth €70 million ($74.7 million) with add-ons. However, Tonali has not appeared for the team since October 21, shortly before his ban came into effect.
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