Daniel Sturridge Banned for 6 Weeks & Handed £75k Fine for Breach of FA Gambling Rules

Daniel Sturridge has been banned for six weeks and fined £75k after being charged with a breach of betting rules regarding a possible loan move in January.

The verdict was delivered on Thursday after a lengthy inquiry was conducted by the FA, before announcing a misconduct charge last November that Sturridge vehemently denied.

Rules on betting normally result in heavy sanctions by the FA, with Joey Barton being banned for 18 months last year after accepting an FA charge relating to 1,260 bets over 10 years. 

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Now, as revealed in an FA statement, an independent commission has found Sturridge guilty and the striker will be unable to partake in football-related activity for allegedly passing on 'information relating to football which the participant obtained by virtue of his or her position'.

The statement includes the following information: "Mr Sturridge had instructed his brother, Leon, to bet on a possible move by him (Daniel) to Sevilla FC. In issuing that instruction, the Regulatory Commission found that, as a matter of fact, Mr Sturridge had provided his brother with inside information for that purpose.' 

"By way of sanction, the Regulatory Commission imposed on Mr Sturridge a 6 week suspension from participation in any domestic football matches (including friendlies), such suspension being effective from 17 July 2019. 

"Four weeks of that ban have been suspended until 31 August 2020, meaning that Mr Sturridge will be able to resume participating by 31 July 2019 in the event he commits no further breaches of FA Rule E8. In addition, the Regulatory Commission imposed a fine of £75,000 on Mr Sturridge."

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The FA statement adds that is 'respectfully disagrees' with the independent adjudication and will be filing an appeal.

Sturridge, who ultimately joined Sevilla rather than West Brom last winter, is currently without a club after leaving the Reds following their Champions League final victory, when his contract expired.

As the last four weeks of the ban are suspended, he will be free to resume his career with a new club from 31 July.