Tonali Finds Comfort in Helping Gamblers After Ban
Newcastle United and Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali has revealed that he found solace in assisting other problem gamblers during his 10-month suspension for breaching betting rules.
Tonali, who joined Newcastle from AC Milan for a fee of £55 million in July 2023, was banned by the Italian Football Federation last October for breaking regulations while playing in Serie A. The ban, which was endorsed by FIFA, applied globally.
The 24-year-old, who is eligible to return to action on Wednesday for Newcastle's Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest, shared his experiences in an interview with the club's television channel. He explained that the initial months of his suspension were particularly challenging, but he found a sense of purpose in connecting with those struggling with gambling addiction.
"Especially in the first three months, I met a lot of people with ordinary jobs, especially in Newcastle, who had this problem and who had never spoken before," Tonali revealed. "They did so when it all came out, when the articles came out and my problem was made public, so after this they decided to get help and stop bottling things up, so this made me very happy."
Beyond his suspension, Tonali was required to participate in an education programme and undertook 16 trips to Italy to warn young footballers about the dangers of gambling. He acknowledged that his case has encouraged both members of the public and those within the game to confront their own issues with gambling, providing an unexpected silver lining to his difficult period.
"These people got help just by talking, at first by talking but then with another one thousand ways," he added. "The first step, the biggest step is being able to talk about this huge thing you're carrying inside of you that you've never done before and you don't have the courage. You have this enormous sort of block and this is the biggest step to take to resolve this problem."
Tonali also expressed gratitude for the unwavering support he received from his club and its fans. "I'm happy because it's the first time after 10 months and I'm feeling good because I know the team was here with me and the fans were here with me and I have never been alone in these 10 months," he said.
"It was very, very, very difficult in October, November and December, the first three months, and now I feel it's a new time. A footballer lives for [matchdays], so it was hard work. I did work, though. I trained every day, even more than when I was playing."
Tonali's experience highlights the importance of open dialogue and support for those struggling with gambling addiction, and his commitment to raising awareness and promoting responsible behaviour offers a valuable lesson for the football world.
