Sandro Tonali is currently facing the prospect of a football ban due to his involvement in betting on games, and Paul Merson has offered his perspective on the situation. The Newcastle midfielder confessed to struggling with a gambling addiction, prompting Merson to advocate for a more empathetic approach by football authorities. He urged FIFA to take a compassionate stance regarding Sandro Tonali, particularly after the player admitted to betting on AC Milan matches during his time at the club.

Tonali is among several Italian footballers embroiled in an ongoing investigation into betting irregularities, with Nicolo Zaniolo, on loan to Aston Villa, and Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli also finding themselves implicated. Fagioli has been handed a one-year ban, with the final five months of the suspension pending, as he acknowledged betting on games and using illegal platforms. In response to these developments, Newcastle released a statement on Wednesday, confirming that Sandro Tonali is under investigation by the Italian Prosecutor’s Office and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) regarding illegal betting activities. The club emphasized that Sandro is actively cooperating with the investigation and continues to receive their full support, as do his family.

According to FIGC regulations, players found to have engaged in football betting could face bans of up to three years. However, Fagioli’s penalty was reduced after he cooperated with the authorities and agreed to undergo rehabilitation for his gambling addiction. In a similar fashion, Tonali made a candid admission during an FIGC hearing, and his agent, Giuseppe Riso, revealed that the player also grapples with a gambling addiction. Riso emphasized that Tonali is now fighting his most crucial battle – that against gambling addiction – and expressed his confidence in Tonali’s ability to overcome it. “Sandro is playing the most important game of his career, that of gambling addiction, but I am sure he will win it.”

Paul Merson, who has firsthand experience of battling gambling addiction, called on football’s governing bodies to take a more compassionate approach. He encouraged them to refrain from imposing severe bans and instead focus on providing support to those in need. Merson posted on social media, “Just want to wish Sandro Tonali all the best from this horrible addiction and hope FIFA and everyone else goes easy and understands this is an illness and to stop throwing out big bans and to help people get help.” Merson pointed out the importance of offering help to those struggling with addiction, rather than punishing them excessively.

Reflecting on his own struggles with gambling addiction in an interview with the Mirror in 2021, Merson admitted that he is “frightened to death” of relapsing and urged betting companies to take more responsibility in assisting those affected. He criticized betting companies for capitalizing on vulnerable individuals and called for stricter limits on betting behavior, as addicts often lack the self-control to set boundaries. Merson argued that betting companies should take a more active role in safeguarding their customers and not merely rely on slogans like “when the fun stops, stop,” as addicts find it difficult to stop on their own.

You can see a video giving our thoughts on the news and the ban below…