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Italian players found to be betting on their own sport can be faced with bans and fines, and in the case of Sandro Tonali, this has resulted in a 10-month ban, plus an additional eight months of rehabilitation as agreed upon by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
Now, a request from the FIGC to FIFA to have this ban implemented globally has been granted and is set to come into effect immediately.
The ban will see the player unable to compete in several events, including the 2024 Euros and Newcastle United’s Premier League season.
“The request submitted by the Italian Football Association to extend the sanction it imposed on the player Sandro Tonali on 27 October 2023 to have worldwide effect has been granted,” FIFA told Reuters on Saturday.
While he is not the only player to receive a ban, he is the one who has received the harshest ban, with fellow Italian player Nicolò Fagioli receiving a seven-month ban for betting breaches. Whether this ban, too, will be imposed internationally has yet to be seen. Fagioli’s agent has stated that the player admitted to having a gambling addiction.
The ban has come amid several other bans, including of Brentford’s England striker Ivan Toney in May where he was banned for eight months, meaning he will not be returning to the sport until 16 January 2024.
According to Newcastle, “Sandro will be eligible to return to competitive football from Tuesday, 27th August 2024.”
