Trippier case set to rumble on
England defender Kieran Trippier’s ten-week ban for a breach of gambling regulations has sparked a debate about the validity of certain betting markets and football’s role in policing them.
Trippier, who was also fined £70,000, was found guilty after transcripts of messages showed him discussing his move to Spain in the summer of 2019 with friends, who then placed bets on the transfer going ahead. The England defender even told one friend to “lump on if you want”, later asserting that the messages were just “banter”.
Yet the case has raised doubts, with many observers questioning why bookmakers should offer odds on markets that are so open to manipulation by insider knowledge, or indeed why it is The FA’s responsibility to uphold the validity of such markets. Last year, Daniel Sturridge was handed a four-month ban for a similar offence, following an appeal from The FA who argued the original six-week ban (four of which were suspended) “wholly failed to reflect the gravity of the case”.
Trippier’s ban is now suspended while Atletico appeal the decision, with coach Diego Simeone insisting his team are being unfairly unpunished.