Huddersfield Town striker Kian Harratt has been banned for four months and fined £3,200 for breaching Football Association (FA) betting rules.
The 21-year-old admitted placing 484 bets on football matches between June 30, 2020 and June 3, 2023, thus breaching FA Rule E8.1.
His sanctions of suspension and fine were imposed by an independent regulatory commission at a hearing.
Town say they will “support” the player during his suspension period.
Within the reasons given by the FA, Harratt admitted he was aware of the rules against betting on football as a player.
He confirmed having attended a club presentation which discussed these issues in July 2022 whilst on loan at Bradford City.
Harratt made bets involving the club itself
According to the English football body, Harratt placed bets on games involving Huddersfield Town, Port Vale, Bradford City and Guiseley AFC. Furthermore, the player bet against his own team.
Harratt was on loan at Guiseley from October 2020 to June 2021, Port Vale from January to June 2022 and Bradford from July to November 2022. The latter on a season-long loan deal ended shortly after he was fined .
The FA considered that his irregular activity “had an impact on the integrity of the game”, and he placed bets on his own club’s defeat.
Although he also considered that with the nine bets he made in these circumstances, the player was part of the Under-23 squad and not the first team. Therefore, it had little impact on integrity.
Club Statement: Kian Harratt.#htafc
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) February 7, 2024
Penalty reduction
Given the number of bets he placed, the amount wagered [£8,105.01] and the fact he was aware it was not permitted, the suspension was initially set at eight months by the committee.
However, mitigation in terms of his age, “inexperience and naivety”, and his immediate admission to the charges, demonstration of remorse and good disciplinary record, led to a reduction of the sentence to four months.
Harratt has played 16 games for the Terriers this season, scoring twice.
