Daniel Sturridge has been banned from all football-related activities for four months, after breaking betting rules.
The former Liverpool and Chelsea player was also fined £75,000 and received a six-week ban last summer for providing information to his brother about a potential move to Sevilla back in 2018. Though the final four weeks of Sturridge’s ban were suspended, the FA launched a successful appeal against the independent commission’s findings and announced on Monday that the striker will be barred from all football until June 17.
Also, Sturridge’s fine was doubled to £150,000 and his three-year contract with Turkish outfit Trabzonspor has been terminated
‘Following an appeal by The FA of the previous findings of the independent Regulatory Commission, in this case, an independent Appeal Board has found that the Regulatory Commission misapplied
The FA’s Rules in relation to the use of inside information and made findings of fact which could not be sustained,’ an FA statement said. ‘As a result, the Appeal Board has found proven two further charges which were originally dismissed.
‘The Appeal Board agreed with The FA that the penalty originally imposed on Mr Sturridge was unduly lenient and therefore increased his effective playing ban from two weeks to four months. The Appeal Board also doubled the fine to £150,000.
‘Fifa has confirmed that the suspension will be of worldwide effect.’
Earlier on Monday, Trabzonspor announced that Sturridge’s deal with the club had been mutually terminated. ‘The contract signed between our company and our professional footballer Daniel Andre Sturridge, dated 21.08.2019 and ending 31.05.2021 has been mutually terminated,’ an official statement said. ‘In accordance with the termination agreement, the football player gave up all his forward-looking rights and receivables.’
The club also tweeted: ‘We thank Daniel Sturridge for his contributions to our club and wish him success in his career #thankyoudanielsturridge.’