Fine and suspended ban for Tottenham's Andros Townsend

[BOF]

Oops.

Fine and suspended ban for Tottenham's Andros Townsend

 

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend has been banned from all football and football activity for four months, three of which are suspended, after breaching betting regulations.

An independent regulatory commission hearing imposed the sanction, which has been backdated to May 23 when he voluntarily withdrew from the England Under-21 squad.

However, a statement released by the Football Association revealed that the three months of the ban have been suspended until July 1 2016.

They will be automatically invoked upon a proven breach of the FA's betting rules during that period.

"Townsend, who was also fined £18,000, was charged for breaches of FA Rule E8(B ) for misconduct in relation to betting, which he admitted and requested a personal hearing," read the statement.

With Townsend's ban effectively reduced to one month, the 21-year-old will be available for the start of the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season.

He spent a successful loan spell at QPR, arriving at Loftus Road in January, and while the club were relegated he received frequent praise from manager Harry Redknapp.

Once the FA had charged him with breaching their betting regulations, he pulled out of England's squad for the European Under-21 Championship in Israel and was replaced by Birmingham's Nathan Redmond.

Townsend was not accused of betting on matches he had any involvement in, but the FA operates strict rules that forbid gambling on a wide spectrum of games.

A product of the Tottenham academy who had loan spells at various clubs, including Ipswich, Millwall, Leeds and Birmingham, he came to prominence at QPR last season with his energetic displays, emerging as one of the few highlights of a disastrous season.

With the future of Gareth Bale in some doubt - Real Madrid are leading the chase for the Wales winger - Townsend could be close to breaking into Spurs' first team.

[Zatman]

bit harsh in the fact that was a game he had no involvement with at all but he was a bit naive to think he wouldnt get caught

[Nigel]

Its anything but harsh IMO. To give him a backdated 1 month ban is pointless.

[Milfner]

Excuse my ignorance, but what rules has he broke here? Betting on football?

[Zatman]

was a Premier LEague game not involving either QPR or Spurs

[BOF]

If I could find an online version of the FA's Rule Book (as distinct from the FIFA one) then we might be able to see what he has done, but yes the insinuation is certainly that he was betting on football. Not only naïve but fairly poorly timed, given FIFA's recent focus on match-fixing etc.

EDIT : Found it

 

Rule 8

8 (a) A Match Offi cial, referee coach or referee assessor operating at level 1, 2 or 3 shall

not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person

to bet on -

(i) the result, progress or conduct of any Match or Competition as defi ned in

Rule A2; or

(ii) any other matter concerning or related to football sanctioned by the

Association including, for example and without limitation, the transfer

of players, employment of managers, team selection or disciplinary

matters; or

(iii) the result, progress or conduct of any other match or competition in

which he or she offi ciates.

The terms ‘match’ or ‘competition’ as used in sub-paragraph 8(a)(iii) refer only to

football matches or competitions which are not within the defi nition of Match or

Competition in Rule A2, and include any football match or competition sanctioned

by UEFA, or FIFA, or by any other association, federation or governing body.

(B ) Save for those Participants subject to the prohibition in sub-paragraph (a), a

Participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or

enable any person to bet on –

(i) the result, progress or conduct of a match or competition:

(A) in which the Participant is participating, or has participated in

that season; or

(B ) in which the Participant has any infl uence, either direct or

indirect; or

(ii) any other matter concerning or related to any Club participating in

any league Competition, as defi ned in Rule A2, that the Participant is

participating in or has participated in during that season, including, for

example and without limitation, the transfer of players, employment of

managers, team selection or disciplinary matters.

For these purposes, without limitation to the application of this Rule to other

circumstances, all Employees of a Club are deemed to participate in every match

played by that Club while they are so employed; all Players registered with a Club

are deemed to participate in every match played by that Club while they are so

registered.

[villa4europe]

do they ever investigate jack wilshere and his constant talk of betting on twitter?

[BOF]

Betting isn't a problem. Betting on competitions that you are playing in is. I don't know what Wilshere says, but the act of betting in and of itself is not against the rules.

[theunderstudy]

A 4 month ban which will largely be absorbed by a 3 month break. As Nigel said, anything but harsh.

[villa4europe]

looked it up, wilshere tweeted "worth a cheeky tenner" during a CL match, recieved a warning off UEFA

[LondonLax]

A 4 month ban which will largely be absorbed by a 3 month break. As Nigel said, anything but harsh.

 

3 months of it is suspended so he only has a 1 month ban which is half over already. 

[TrentVilla]

Only the tip of the iceberg I'm sure, just the one who got caught.

[Zatman]

Only the tip of the iceberg I'm sure, just the one who got caught.

 

agree. for me it helps the FA as he not a big enough name to offend like a major interenational but he is known enough that will make an impact