Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali deserves “empathy and support” for his playing points moderately than a 10-month ban, campaigners have stated.
The 23-year-old has been suspended for 18 months – eight months of which has been commuted – fined 20,000 euros and been ordered to partake in an eight-month course of remedy after an investigation into unlawful betting carried out by the Italian Prosecutor’s Officer and the Italian soccer federation (FIGC).
The participant’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, has stated his shopper resides with a playing dependancy whereas the PFA is known to be working with and persevering with to assist Tonali.
And the Big Step marketing campaign, a part of the Gambling With Lives charity, claims asking a footballer who’s hooked on playing to play in stadiums plastered in betting logos is akin to creating an alcoholic work in a pub.
“Footballers are human and if they are suffering from addiction they deserve empathy and support, not lengthy bans,” the Big Step stated in an announcement issued to the PA information company.
“Every football game is wall-to-wall with gambling ads, not just across shirts but around stadiums and related media content.
“Sending someone addicted to gambling into this environment is like sending an alcoholic to work in a pub. If you force young footballers to endorse addictive products then don’t be surprised if they use them.
“Ending all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, including all parts of the shirt and in every stadium, will help to prevent harm to those on and off the pitch.”
The FIGC confirmed Tonali’s ban on Thursday afternoon, lower than 24 hours after he made what will probably be his closing look of the marketing campaign for the membership which paid AC Milan £55million for his providers this summer time.
He got here on instead in Wednesday evening’s 1-0 Champions League defeat by Borussia Dortmund at St James’ Park.
A press release on the federation’s official web site stated: “The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has reached an agreement (pursuant to art. 126 CGS) with the footballer Sandro Tonali, following which he will be sanctioned with an 18-month disqualification, eight of which will be commuted to alternative prescriptions, and a fine of 20,000 euros, for the violation of art.24 of the CGS which prohibits the possibility of placing bets on football events organised by FIGC, UEFA and FIFA.
“Regarding alternative prescriptions, Tonali will have to participate in a therapeutic plan lasting a minimum of eight months and in a cycle of at least 16 public meetings, to be held in Italy, over a period of eight months, at amateur sports associations, federal territorial centres, for recovery from gambling addiction, and in any case according to the indications and program proposed by the FIGC.
“The Federal Prosecutor’s Office will ensure compliance with what is indicated and, in case of violations, will adopt the measures within its competence, pursuant to the CGS, with termination of the agreement and continuation of the disciplinary proceedings before the sports justice adjudicating bodies.”
Earlier FIGC president Gabriele Gravina had advised reporters in Rome: “The rules call for a certain number of years of suspension, but the plea bargain and extenuating circumstances have been taken into consideration and the players’ collaboration went above and beyond, therefore we must continue to respect the rules we have established for ourselves.”
Tonali was one among a number of gamers named within the FIGC’s investigation, which additionally noticed Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli banned for seven months.
The suspension will imply he is not going to play once more for Newcastle this season and will miss Italy’s Euro 2024 finals marketing campaign ought to they qualify.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe has promised his huge cash summer time acquisition the membership’s full assist, though his absence may hardly have come at a worse time for the membership with Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy each having picked up accidents throughout the defeat to Dortmund, which Sven Botman and Elliot Anderson missed with current issues.
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