Football
ESPN staff 7y

FA prevents Joey Barton from playing in Grenfell Tower charity match

Joey Barton will not be allowed to play in a charity match to raise funds for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster in London because of the terms of his ban from football.

The match, which is being organised by Barton's former club QPR, will be held at Loftus Road on Sept. 2 and will feature Alan Shearer, David Seaman, Les Ferdinand, Trevor Sinclair and Paul Merson.

On Thursday, Barton had his 18-month betting ban reduced to 13 months on appeal but he revealed on Friday that he is barred from any competitive football, a term that includes charity games, meaning he cannot participate.

He said on Twitter: "I would have loved to be supporting the #Game4Grenfell at Loftus Road on 02.09.17 but @FA have decided my ban extends to helping a great cause. So unfortunately, unless someone engages their brain, I won't make it."

In April, the FA handed Barton the ban and fined the former England midfielder £30,000 after he admitted placing bets on 1,260 football matches.

He was later released by Burnley, who said his departure was brought about by "obvious reasons" given he will miss the whole of the upcoming season.

The revised ban means Barton will be free to play again on June 1 next year, by which point he will be three months shy of his 36th birthday.

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