Nottingham Forest defender, Harry Toffolo, has been charged with breaching English FA betting rules a staggering 375 times. The charges allege that Toffolo violated the rules between January 2014 and March 2017, during which he was under contract with Norwich City and had loan spells at Swindon, Rotherham, Peterborough, and Scunthorpe. Toffolo, who made 19 Premier League appearances for Nottingham Forest last season after joining from Huddersfield, has until July 19th to respond to the charge.
The Football Association (FA) released a statement confirming the charges against Toffolo. They stated that the defender is accused of misconduct under FA Rule E1 (b) and that the alleged breaches occurred over a period of three years. Toffolo now has until July 19th to provide his response to the charges.
FA Rule E8 prohibits players from engaging in various betting activities, including placing bets on matches, asking others to bet on their behalf, or sharing privileged information for the purpose of betting. Violations of this rule can result in severe penalties, as seen in the case of Kieran Trippier, who was banned for 10 weeks and fined £70,000, and Ivan Toney, who received an eight-month ban for admitting to 232 breaches of the same rule.
Comparatively, Toffolo's alleged misconduct appears to be more serious, with a total of 375 breaches being charged against him. The severity of these charges may have significant consequences for Toffolo's future in football, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold. Newcastle United and Manchester United had previously shown interest in Toney, but his ban may affect any potential transfers, as clubs may be reluctant to meet Brentford's £50 million valuation due to his extended absence from the game.
