Tonali Under Investigation for Alleged Gambling Involvement in Newcastle

Sandro Tonali, who recently joined Newcastle United, had previously agreed to a 10-month ban for gambling while playing for Milan. However, he is now facing a fresh investigation by the English Football Association (FA) to determine if he placed bets during his tenure at Newcastle.

The ban that Tonali agreed upon with the Italian authorities has been extended by UEFA and FIFA to cover all competitions, including international matches. The punishment and evidence were related to bets he placed during his time at Brescia and Milan. The FA's separate investigation aims to ascertain whether Tonali continued gambling while in England, as it is prohibited for professional football players to place bets, even if they are on different sports or not involving their own team.

Tonali has admitted to struggling with a gambling addiction and sought therapy after being formally investigated last month. During a recent press conference, Newcastle's sporting director, Dan Ashworth, did not deny the possibility of further sanctions for Tonali, stating that the club has fully cooperated with the concerned associations and organizations, including the FA.

It is worth noting that the Italian authorities have historically been stricter in their punishment of players involved in gambling. For instance, Ivan Toney from Brentford received an eight-month ban for placing numerous bets, including on his own team to lose.

According to reports, Tonali has agreed to a substantial reduction in wages, rumored to be around £120,000 per week, for the duration of his ban. Despite the ban, he will be permitted to continue training with the team. Newcastle’s director of football, Dan Ashworth, have expressed great sympathy for Tonali's situation and have emphasized Newcastle's commitment to supporting him during this challenging time.

“Sandro’s back in training but first and foremost, he’s a human being and we have a programme to support him,” he said. “Sandro’s been outstanding since this happened and fully collaborative. He’s a top human being.”

Ashworth said Tonali had been “transparent” and “collaborative” with the English FA over his gambling problems. There is no current suggestion of the FA conducting investigations into a midfielder who has received support from individual Newcastle executives. “I know Sandro has had some messages of support from board members,” Ashworth said.

While the FA yesterday confirmed it had opened an investigation into potential breaches of its betting rules following Tonali’s arrival from Milan in July it is thought unlikely that there will be any extension of the existing 10-month ban.

READ MORE: Newcastle's Tonali Receives 10-Month Ban from Italy FA for Betting

Liverpool Face Anthony Gordon Blow as Newcastle Considers Record Contract Offer

Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon attracted transfer interest from Liverpool over the summer, but the England star could now be set for a lucrative new contract with his current club.