Sandro Tonali learned a valuable lesson, after the Newcastle United star was issued a 10 month ban for betting on soccer games while playing for AC Milan. His accomplice Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli was also suspended for seven months.
The suspension leaves one of the best Italian players out of the current Premier League season and with the Italian national team for the upcoming Euros. Tonali confessed to having bet on AC Milan to win matches, and never to lose or take advantage of other betting opportunities.
Tonali was not investigated for match fixing but will serve his punishment and will seek help as it was reported he would confess to being “addicted” to betting. Both Tonali and Fagioli admitted to signing up to a VIP site and placing their bets, which is in breach of their playing contracts as active professionals cannot place bets of any kind.
Other soccer players caught betting
Both Fagioli and Tonali are not the first to have placed bets on the sport, there is a long list of players who were handed band or fines as a result of their gambling on the sport.
Wayne Shaw – A Sutton goalkeeper that was banned for eight weeks for placing bets, but Shaw denied those charges.
Joey Barton – Bad boy Joey Barton was banned for 18 months for betting; Barton had betted on the sport for 10 years placing over 1,200 bets.
Daniel Sturridge – was given a four-month ban for breaching betting rules. Sturridge was found guilty of providing his brother with insider information on a potential move to Sevilla in 2018.
Martin Demichelis – The now River Plate manager was charged with betting on football matches by the English FA. Demichelis was fined but not banned.