I’m devastated, Sturridge responds to fresh betting ban
Former Liverpool forward, Daniel Sturridge, has said he was devastated after being slapped with a fresh FA betting ban.
The former Liverpool forward has left Turkish side Trabzonspor by mutual consent after the FA increased a previous ban for breaching betting offences.
Sturridge has been ruled out of action until June 17 and fined £150,000 after the FA appealed against that previous ban that they saw as too lenient.
It was alleged that Sturridge instructed his brother to bet on him joining Sevilla on loan from Liverpool in January 2018, although the forward – who ended up joining West Brom on loan that month – denies this.
Sturridge released a video on his YouTube channel following the decision, the full transcript of which can be read below.
“I just want to say it’s been a very long drawn out process over the last couple of years, and difficult to concentrate on my football. It’s also been a crazy few days, to be fair.
“I just want to say that I’m going to continue to campaign for professional footballers to be able to speak to their families and close friends freely, without the real risk of being charged.
“The betting companies and the process of people being able to place bets on people moving clubs has to be stopped.
“Although the appeal panel had recognised that I hadn’t bet, nobody else had bet, I was still charged.
“It was very disappointing and upsetting for me to hear the news that the appeal panel had overturned the original, highly-qualified, panel’s ruling.
“Devastating for me, I’m absolutely gutted about it. My season’s over.
“I feel uncomfortable, and I just don’t think it’s the right thing for me to continue accepting wages from a team that I can’t contribute to due to being banned.
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“I have come to a mutual agreement with Trabzonspor to mutually terminate my contract.
“I would just like to thank the Trabzonspor family, the players, the fans, coaching staff, medical team, president, vice-president.