Sturridge devastated after being banned for betting
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says he is “devastated” after being suspended from football for 4 months for breaking betting regulations. He was originally banned for 6 weeks last summer, 4 of them suspended, but the FA appealed. decision due to the findings of an independent commission.
STURRIDGE DEVASTED AFTER BEING BANNED FOR BETTING
An appeal body also doubled the player’s fine to £ 150,000. Sturridge’s contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor was terminated by mutual agreement on Monday. In a video posted on his Youtube channel, Sturridge said that “it was a crazy day” after the “disappointing and revolting” decision that ended his time.
He added: “I just want to say that it has been a very long and extensive process over the past few years and it has been difficult for me to focus on just football. “I will continue to encourage professional footballers to be able to speak freely with their families and close friends, without the risk of being incriminated.
“I feel that the bookmakers and their practices and the process of placing bets on a player’s potential transfers has to end.” He thanked Trabzonspor, but said he felt “uncomfortable” for continuing to receive salary from the club as he was unable to “contribute”.
Sturridge had faced a number of charges alleging that he had conveyed inside information about a potential transfer in January 2018. An FA statement said the appellate body had ruled that the commission “misapplied the rules on the use of insider information and made discoveries that could not be proven ”.
AS A RESULT, THE COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO PROVE MORE TWO ACCUSATIONS THAT INITIALLY WERE DISCARDED
Liverpool announced in June 2019 that Sturridge, who scored 8 goals in 26 games for England, would leave the club that summer at the end of his contract. He then scored 7 goals in 16 appearances for Turkish club Trabzonspor.
The striker who also played for Manchester City and Chelsea made his appearance in the Premier League in October 2017, when he entered a qualifying game for the World Cup against Lithuania in October 2017. Sturridge was suspended from football and all activities related until June 18.
The commission found that he had instructed his brother Leon to bet on a potential transfer to the Spanish club Sevilla and that he would have given him inside information during the winter transfer window in 2018. Sturridge said the FA case was “exaggerated and badly conceived ”and that he would have given an innocent explanation for these messages directed to his brother.
Arguments in his favor say that he did not have the personality type that is attracted to adrenaline or the risk of transgression and that he had no real interest in gambling.
