The FA has announced that Burnley midfielder Joey Barton has been banned from football for 18 months for betting offences.
Barton, 34, has admitted a charge relating to 1,260 bets he placed on football matches between 2006 and 2016.
He has also been fined £30,000 for his conduct.
In a lengthy statement on his website Barton said he was "very disappointed at the harshness of the sanction".
"The decision effectively forces me into an early retirement from playing football," he said.
"To be clear from the outset here this is not match fixing and at no point in any of this is my integrity in question."
Barton says he will appeal against the ban and blamed his addiction to gambling.
"I accept that I broke the rules governing professional footballers, but I do feel the penalty is heavier than it might be for other less controversial players," he said.
"I have fought addiction to gambling and provided the FA with a medical report about my problem.
"I'm disappointed it wasn't taken into proper consideration."
In a statement the FA said: "Joey Barton has been suspended from football and all football activity for 18 months with immediate effect after he admitted an FA misconduct charge in relation to betting".
Barton's decision to appeal against his sentence was confirmed in a brief statement by Burnley.
The midfielder has previously played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Marseille and Rangers and made one appearance for England in 2007.
In 2008 he was jailed for six months over an attack on a man and a teenage boy in Liverpool and given a four-month suspended jail term for attacking a team mate in training.
He has been charged with violent conduct three times by the FA.
FOLLOW US ON:
> The Forefront on Twitter
>BBM Channel: C002CB006 {WELCOME TO THE FOREFRONT
>{Instagram: the_forefront_nigeria }
Connect with Joshua Osagie (Blog owner)
FOLLOW US ON:
> The Forefront on Twitter
>BBM Channel: C002CB006 {WELCOME TO THE FOREFRONT
>{Instagram: the_forefront_nigeria }
Connect with Joshua Osagie (Blog owner)
Share this post with others on social media with options below.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer!!! Opinions expressed in comments do not represent THE FOREFRONT MEDIA NG's views. All participants are entitled to their opinions. Thank you!!!
Advertise on the Forefront: For advert placement in the blog or advert posts like news updates, reach +2348124620827 [WhatsApp].
Copyright 2023 The Forefront Media Ng. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from The Forefront Media Ng