The 33-year-old English footballer Ryan Bowman has been suspended for 42 months after being found to have participated in 6,397 sports bets, many of them directly related to his own teams.

The Football Association (FA) confirmed that the ban began in March of this year and will run until September 2028.

Bowman, who most recently played for League Two club Cheltenham Town, admitted all charges against him, including bets placed during his time at Exeter City and Shrewsbury Town, two clubs he played for between 2020 and 2023.

He bet against his teams and on himself

The investigation revealed that Bowman not only bet on thousands of matches, but also bet against his own teams and on markets where he was listed as a player, including the top scorer. This type of infraction represents one of the most serious violations of the sporting integrity rules that govern professional football in England.

The FA detailed that:

In addition, hundreds of bets were discovered in competitions in which his clubs participated, which increases the seriousness of the case.

After learning of the resolution, Shrewsbury Town, one of his former clubs, issued an official statement:

"Although we are disappointed with the seriousness of the offenses, we have done everything in our power to support Ryan and his family."

Another scandal in English football

The case of Ryan Bowman adds to a growing list of footballers sanctioned for illegal betting, a problem that increasingly concerns the FA and the controlling bodies of British football. This case is reminiscent of that of Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who was also sanctioned last year for participating in bets.