(Reuters) – Brentford striker Ivan Toney said he is assisting England’s Football Association (FA) with its enquiries after a national newspaper report said he was being investigated for alleged historical gambling on soccer.
A report in the Daily Mail newspaper said Toney, who has not been charged with any offence, had been under investigation for around seven months in relation to the alleged betting activity before he played for Premier League side Brentford.
It added there were no suggestions that the 26-year-old had betted on his own team to lose matches.
“I’m aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today,” Toney, who is hoping to be part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup in Qatar starting on Nov. 20, wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
“I have been assisting the FA with their enquiries and will not be making any comment until such investigation has reached its conclusion.
“I’m a proud Englishman and it has always been my childhood dream to play for my country at a World Cup finals.”
The BBC said the FA declined to comment, while Brentford said: “We note the story concerning Ivan Toney and the FA investigation. The club will not be commenting.”
Brentford were without top scorer Toney in Saturday’s 2-2 league draw with Nottingham Forest as he was serving a one-match suspension after picking up five yellow cards.
Toney, who has scored eight goals in 13 league games this season, received his first England call-up last month but is yet to make an appearance for the national team.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry)
