Josh Shaw, a defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals National Football League (NFL) franchise, has been handed an indefinite suspension after he was found to have wagered on a number of games during the current season.
Shaw, who has not played this campaign due to a shoulder injury, will serve a suspension until at least the end of the 2020 season. He will not be able to apply for reinstatement until February 2021.
NFL rules and regulations state that NFL players, coaches or other personnel at a team are not permitted to place bets on league games. Reports state that Shaw placed the bets in Las Vegas, as sports betting is not currently legal in Arizona.
The NFL said Shaw placed bets on games on multiple this season, but did not find any evidence that he received inside information nor that any of the games were compromised.
The league also said that there was no evidence any Cardinals players or coaches or other NFL players knew that Shaw was betting on games.
“The continued success of the NFL depends directly on each of us doing everything necessary to safeguard the integrity of the game and the reputations of all who participate in the league,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.
“At the core of this responsibility is the longstanding principle that betting on NFL games, or on any element of a game, puts at risk the integrity of the game, damages public confidence in the NFL, and is forbidden under all circumstances. If you work in the NFL in any capacity, you may not bet on NFL football.”
Shaw, the first NFL player to be suspended for betting since 1996, has the option to appeal against the suspension.