FA Charges Norwich City Legend over Betting Misconduct
Former Norwich City star and Reading Head of Football Operations Mark Bowen has become the latest sports official to be charged with betting misconduct by the Football Association (FA).
Bowen returned to Reading FC in May 2022 as Head of Football Operations. (Source: Reading FC)
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:According to the FA, Bowen allegedly placed 95 bets on football matches between April 19, 2022, and January 14, 2024. This violates FA betting rules, which prohibit all players, coaches, and officials involved with clubs in the top eight tiers of English football from gambling on football, regardless of the match's location or league.
Should he be found guilty, Bowen could face sanctions ranging from a hefty fine to a lengthy ban similar to the £50,000 penalty and an eight-month suspension imposed on Ivan Toney last year for repeated betting offenses.
Legendary Legacy in Jeopardy
The 60-year-old Welshman is on the list of Norwich City's all-time appearances with 399 games and 27 goals between 1987 and 2996. He also holds a record 289 top-flight appearances for the club, surpassed only by goalkeeper Bryan Gunn's 304 matches. His impressive career with the team includes scoring the winning goal in the memorable 1993 UEFA Cup triumph over Bayern Munich.
On the international scene, Bowen was capped by Wales 41 times and netted three goals for the team. He hung his boots in 1999 and transitioned into coaching. He has since then worked alongside Mark Hughes as assistant and first-team coach for the Welsh national team and several English clubs, including Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City, and Southampton.
He currently serves as the Head of Football Operations at League One club Reading FC. Neither Bowen nor Reading FC has publicly commented on the charges as of the time of writing this news. However, Bowen has been given until Friday, June 7, to respond to the charges.
More Regulation News
FA Takes Action against Betting Breaches
The FA is treating Bowen's case shortly after it suspended Huw Lake Swansea City's player liaison officer for 12 months and fined him £1,500 for similar betting charges.
According to the governing body, Lake admitted to placing a total of 2,476 bets on football matches over five years, from April 3, 2018, to September 24, 2023.
Recently, the FA has stepped up its efforts to tackle betting violations in the sport. Since the year began, it has charged several high-profile players and sports officials, including Sandro Tonali and Luis Paqueta.
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