Ex-Liverpool Striker Daniel Sturridge Banned 4 Months for Breaking Betting Rules

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been issued with a worldwide ban from football for four months because of breaching gambling rules.

Per BBC Sport, after initially being hit with a six-week ban last summer, four of which were suspended, the Football Association appealed an independent panel's findings. Consequently, Sturridge has been hit with a more significant punishment.

It was announced on Monday that Trabzonspor, who signed the 30-year-old on a free transfer after his contract with Liverpool expired in 2019, had terminated his contract.

The ban is in reference to an incident in January 2018, when Sturridge is alleged to have offered inside information regarding a possible transfer. According to the commission, the England international told his brother Leon to bet on a possible transfer to La Liga outfit Sevilla. Sturridge said the case against him was "overblown and misconceived."

A Football Association statement said the ex-Manchester City and Chelsea forward "misapplied rules in relation to the use of inside information and made findings of fact which could not be sustained."

As a result, Sturridge accrued two further charges and will now be unable to take part in any football-related activities until June 17.

Although injury issues often left him sidelined at Liverpool, Sturridge's time at the club finished in a fairytale fashion, as the Reds won the UEFA Champions League. Overall, he scored 67 goals in 160 appearances for the club after signing from Chelsea in 2013, with 21 coming in the remarkable 2013-14 Premier League campaign, during which they finished second.

With Trabzonspor, Sturridge netted seven times in 16 outings.