Ivan Toney has been suspended by the FA from all football-related activity until January 16, 2024.
The Brentford and England striker has been charged with 232 breaches of FA betting rules and fined ยฃ50,000.
Toney, 27, will now miss the remainder of the Bees’ season as they look to secure a top-half Premier League finish and will not be able to return to training until September 17.
The FA statement read: “Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activity with immediate effect for eight months.
“The Brentford forward was charged with 262 breaches of FA Rule E8 between February 25, 2017 and January 23, 2021.
“The FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232.
“The independent regulatory commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course and the FA will wait to review them before commenting further.”
Brentford released a club statement following the announcement but have not stated whether they will be appealing the decision.
It said: “Brentford notes the decision of an independent regulatory commission to issue an eight-month ban from all football and football-related activity to Ivan Toney with immediate effect.
“Ivan had a personal hearing earlier this week.
“Brentford is currently awaiting the publication of the written reasons of the independent regulatory commission. We will review them before considering our next steps.”
Thomas Frank’s side travel to Tottenham on Sunday but will have to make do without their leading goalscorer who has netted 20 times in the English top flight this season.
Toney’s form earned the ex-Peterborough marksman his first Three Lions cap last March, when he made a second-half substitute appearance against Ukraine.
