Gareth Southgate, England's football manager, has questioned Ivan Toney's ban following his punishment for breaking betting rules.
The England and Brentford striker was previously suspended from football for eight months after admitting to 232 violations of the Football Association's betting rules. He is now suspended from football until January 2024. Toney was also fined £50,000 ($62, 000).
Toney was initially charged with 262 breaches; however, 30 of these were later dropped.
Southgate acknowledges Toney understands why the punishment was imposed: "He recognises and accepts the punishment."
Southgate went on to add that removing him from football entirely is not in Toney's best interests as he recovers. Southgate stated: "We have to take after people. How can we give him some structure over the next six months so that he can grow into a better person at the end of it?
"I don't like the idea that we just leave somebody, that he is not allowed to be a part of the football community."
Southgate summed up his case best by adding, "I don't believe that is how we should operate. "I don't believe this is how the best rehabilitation programmes work."
Southgate's answer came on the same day that significant responsible gambling news broke, with LadBible announcing a partnership with GambleAware to launch a campaign to educate young people about responsible betting.
Southgate mentioned Toney's future during the news conference, implying that once Toney has fulfilled his sentence, the ban will not be considered in future choices. He concluded his response to the inquiry with, "We're here to support him."
