Spurs' Townsend banned for betting breach

Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend was on Tuesday banned for one month for breaching regulations on betting, with the threat of a further three-month suspension for any other infringement in the next three years.

England’s Football Association imposed the sanction on the England under-21 international after a meeting of an independent regulatory commission.

The one-month ban was backdated to May 23, when he voluntarily withdrew from the England squad, meaning he will be available for the start of the 2013/14 Premier League season.

The suspended three-month suspension is in place until July 1, 2016, meaning that he will be banned if there is any proven breach of the FA’s betting rules in that period.

“Townsend, who was also fined £18,000 ($27,513, 21,000 euros), was charged for breaches of FA Rule E8(b) for misconduct in relation to betting, which he admitted and requested a personal hearing,” said an FA statement.

Townsend spent a loan spell at QPR, arriving at Loftus Road in January, and was often praised by manager Harry Redknapp despite the west London club’s eventual relegation from the Premier League.

Following the FA’s decision to charge him with breaching betting regulations, he pulled out of England’s squad for the European Under-21 Championship in Israel and was replaced by Birmingham’s Nathan Redmond.

Townsend was not accused of betting on matches he had any involvement in, but FA rules forbid gambling on a variety of games.