Ivan Toney may use loophole in FA ban to play different sport

Toney is suspended from all football-related activities until January

Toney was given an eight-month ban from all football-related activities last month after being found guilty of breaching over 200 rules in relation to betting.

As a result, the one-time England international cannot return to football until half of his suspension has been served, however given that his ban doesn't extend to other sports, the 27-year-old is free to compete elsewhere, as reported by The Sun.

This means that theoretically, Toney could spend pre-season with a rugby side, hockey team etc, in order to maintain his fitness ahead of his return to action with Brentford.

The forward's ban is different to ones imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency sanction, who prevent athletes from competing in all sports when found guilty of breaching guidelines.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank hit out at the decision to ban Toney from football, suggesting that more needs to be done to review the relationship football and gambling have with each other.

"The authorities have a massive task to make sure we do this much better," he said.

"Yes, Ivan did something wrong but what I don't get is how can you not let him be involved in football at all for the first four months?"

"What do you gain from that? If you want to rehabilitate people you give them education, you do something, and now he is left on his own."

Frank added: "There's no doubt for me that the first four months he could be involved in football, he should be forced to go into 100 schools to tell them about his football and background, that's how it should work, but I'm a football coach, what do I know?"

Related links:

• Ivan Toney removed from FIFA 23 in latest squad update
• Ivan Toney bet on his own team to lose 13 times as FA reveal reasons behind ban
• Ivan Toney posts cryptic message after FA reveal reasons behind ban
• Ivan Toney suspended from all football for eight months for betting breaches