Unlawful wagering sees Daniel Sturridge penalized and fined.
Ex-Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge has been given a six-week ban and ordered to pay a fine of €84,000 for breaking football betting rules. Sturridge, aged 29, is accused of using relatives and friends to place bets on his own transfer. The Football Association (FA) of England plans to challenge the decision and wants a ban of at least six months for the player. Here's an overview of the situation:
Sturridge's Alleged Betting on Transfer
A special independent commission of the FA has given ex-Liverpool FC striker Daniel Sturridge (29) a six-week ban and a fine of €84,000. The FA had reported Sturridge in November 2019 for major violations of the FA's betting regulations. It's alleged that Sturridge provided his brother Leon Sturridge with insider information about a potential transfer to La Liga club Sevilla FC in January 2018 and encouraged him to bet on the transfer.
However, the transfer to Sevilla FC never took place, and Sturridge eventually joined relegated English club West Bromwich Albion for the rest of 2018. Sturridge was initially part of the champions' squad at Liverpool FC. He currently doesn't have a club.
Leon Sturridge wasn't the one to make the Sevilla transfer. Instead, another relative, Anthon Walters, came into play, betting that Sturridge would move to Italian side Inter Milan. Walters lost £10,000 in this process. In addition, Sturridge's uncle and agent, Dean Sturridge, also placed a bet, the exact amount of which is unknown. But it's clear that all those linked to Sturridge bet a total of £25,373 and won £7,631.
Sturridge's Ban - FA's Demand for Longer Suspension
Sturridge was accused of breaking the rules in 11 instances, but was cleared of 9. The FA has issued the following statement:
"Daniel Sturridge has been charged with 11 offences. Nine of these offences concerned alleged breaches of the inside information rule, as Daniel Sturridge had provided friends and family with inside information about potential transfer dealings in January 2018, which was subsequently used in connection with betting. These allegations were rejected by the Regulatory Commission in its ruling."
The FA is not satisfied with the Regulatory Commission's findings and is determined to appeal, requesting a ban of at least six months for Sturridge. The FA believes the sanctions are "too lenient." The FA told British newspaper The Guardian:
"The FA respectfully disagrees with the findings of the Regulatory Commission and will appeal the dismissed charges and the sanction imposed. A sanction of less than six months would completely disregard the seriousness of the case."
Sturridge's Response to the Appeal
The date for the retrial has not been set yet. Recently, however, Sturridge himself commented on the expected appeal proceedings. He denied all the charges all along, most recently saying he's "extremely disappointed" about the appeal and that he will continue to defend his stance in the future. Sturridge also described the last 15 months of the investigation as "excruciating". The commission agreed with his credibility, saying:
"I am pleased that nine of the eleven charges were dropped and that the panel found me to be an honest and credible witness."
Sturridge remains resolute about his innocence, despite the FA's appeal. Further developments are still to come.
Mina under FA Scrutiny
Daniel Sturridge isn't the only English Premier League player in the FA's sights for betting violations: Reports suggest the FA has filed a charge against Everton FC defender Yerry Mina.
The reason for this is an advertisement by Mina (BetJuegos) in his home country of Colombia. The FA insists Mina has violated the FA Rule E8 (3), which states that no active FA member should participate in betting activities. This rule also applies at an international level. Mina, who joined Everton from Spanish club FC Barcelona in August 2018, has not yet responded publicly to the charges.
The Aftermath
Ex-Liverpool FC player Daniel Sturridge has received a six-week ban and an €84,000 fine for violating football betting regulations. It's reported that he used friends and relatives to bet on his transfer and has been accused of providing them with insider information. Despite being acquitted in nine of the eleven charges, the FA plans to appeal and wants a ban of at least six months. Sturridge is "extremely disappointed" about the announcement of his potential suspension and has described the past year as a challenging one.
Meanwhile, Everton FC center-back Yerry Mina is under scrutiny by the FA for appearing in a sports betting advertisement in his home country of Colombia. The FA has not released many details about the allegations but has stated that Mina breached FA Rule E8 (3). Mina joined Everton from Spanish giants FC Barcelona in 2018, but has not made any public response to the charges. The FA still intends to appeal against the rejected charges and the current sanction they believe is too lenient, which caused some controversy.
In other news, Paul Scholes, a former Manchester United player, was fined £8,000 in mid-June for having multiple active customer accounts, one of which was with Paddy Power Betfair. After learning about this, Paddy Power Betfair reported the matter to the Football Association. Scholes displayed a level-headed approach in response to the situation.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
