Sturridge handed worldwide ban

Daniel Sturridge’s career has been left in tatters after the former England striker was banned until June.

The bombshell was announced just hours after Turkish club Trabzonspor confirmed on Monday that they had terminated his contract just six months into a three-year deal .

It comes after the Football Association appealed against what it believed was a lenient sentence after Sturridge was found guilty last July by an Independent Commission into betting offences.

Ex-Liverpool striker Sturridge was originally fined £75,000 and given a six-week ban – four weeks of it was suspended – for betting offences after being found to have breached two FA rules surrounding a potential transfer in January 2018.

Sturridge was alleged to have instructed his brother, Leon, to bet on his possible transfer to Sevilla, providing him with inside information – although he never moved to the La Liga club and later went to West Brom.

The FA were unhappy at the length of punishment and, despite Sturridge pleading his innocence, said they would appeal – and the sentence has now been increased.

Sturridge, 30, hoped to resurrect his career in Turkey but there was a get-out clause with the appeal hanging over his head and now it leaves him in limbo.

The FA statement said: “Daniel Sturridge has been suspended from all football and football-related activity from today until the end of 17 June 2020.

“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.

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As a result, the Appeal Board has found proven two further charges which were originally dismissed. Other factual findings of the Regulatory Commission were left undisturbed.