Daniel Sturridge given worldwide ban after breaking betting rules
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Former England and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been banned from football worldwide until June 2020 for breaching betting rules.
The 30-year-old, who scored eight goals in 26 games for England, was found guilty on two charges of breaching FA betting rules in 2019.
Sturridge is alleged to have told his brother to place a bet on him joining Sevilla, although he eventually joined West Bromwich Albion on loan instead before returning to Liverpool.
He was initially given a six-week ban with four of them suspended, but the FA appealed against the findings and have been successful.
The former Chelsea and Manchester City attacker was also given a £75,000 fine last year but that has now been doubled to £150,000.
An FA statement read:
Daniel Sturridge has been suspended from all football and football-related activity from today until the end of 17 June 2020.
Following an appeal by the FA of the previous findings of the independent regulatory commission in this case, an independent appeal board has found that the regulatory commission misapplied the FA's rules in relation to the use of inside information and made findings of fact which could not be sustained.
As a result, the appeal board has found proven two further charges which were originally dismissed. Other factual findings of the regulatory commission were left undisturbed.
In relation to the sanction, the appeal board agreed with the FA that the penalty originally imposed on Mr Sturridge was unduly lenient and therefore increased his effective playing ban from two weeks to four months. The appeal board also doubled the fine to £150,000.
The written reasons in this matter are available below and provide considerable detail in relation to all the charges and the Appeal Board’s determinations of them. As will be clear, The FA takes any form of betting misconduct and the provision of inside information very seriously.
FIFA has confirmed that the suspension will be of worldwide effect.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sturridge revealed he was devastated by the new ban.
I just want to say it's been a very long drawn out process over the last couple of years, and difficult to concentrate on my football. It's also been a crazy few days, to be fair.
I just want to say that I'm going to continue to campaign for professional footballers to be able to speak to their families and close friends freely, without the real risk of being charged.
The betting companies and the process of people being able to place bets on people moving clubs has to be stopped.
Although the appeal panel had recognised that I hadn't bet, nobody else had bet, I was still charged.
It was very disappointing and upsetting for me to hear the news that the appeal panel had overturned the original, highly-qualified, panel's ruling.
Devastating for me, I'm absolutely gutted about it. My season's over.
Sturridge left Liverpool when his contract expired at the end of last season and joined Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, where he scored seven goals in 15 appearances.
But the club announced his three-year contract had been terminated by mutual consent on Monday morning, hours before details of his global ban leaving his career in tatters were confirmed.
I feel uncomfortable, and I just don't think it's the right thing for me to continue accepting wages from a team that I can't contribute to due to being banned.
I have come to a mutual agreement with Trabzonspor to mutually terminate my contract.
I would just like to thank the Trabzonspor family, the players, the fans, coaching staff, medical team, president, vice-president.
I'm very grateful for you inviting me into your city and allowing me to enjoy my football.
Also I want to thank everybody who is supported me and sending me so many well-wishes. It is very much appreciated at a difficult time for me.
I appreciate that and I'm very grateful, so thank you very much.
Sturridge will now be unable to sign and play for a new club for the rest of the season.
