Daniel Sturridge has been banned from “all football and football-related activity” worldwide until 17 June for breaching betting rules.

The former Liverpool striker was initially given a six-week ban last summer, four of them suspended, but the Football Association successfully appealed against the length of his ban which has been meted by an independent commission.

An appeal board also doubled the 30-year-old’s fine to £150,000.

Sturridge’s contract with Turkish side Trabzonspor was also terminated by mutual agreement on Monday.

Sturridge had faced various charges alleging he passed on inside information to his brother over a potential transfer in January 2018.

A statement from the FA said the appeal board had ruled the commission “misapplied rules in relation to the use of inside information and made findings of fact which could not be sustained”.
As a result, the board found proven two further charges that had originally been dismissed.

The commission found he had instructed his brother Leon to bet on a possible move to Spanish side Sevilla, and that he had given him inside information during the January 2018 transfer window.

Sturridge said the FA’s case was “overblown and misconceived” and that he gave an innocent explanation for text messages to his brother.

Submissions on his behalf said he did not have the type of personality that is drawn to adrenaline or the risk of wrongdoing, and had no real interest in gambling.

Sturridge began his senior career with Manchester City and Chelsea, and also spent time on loan at Bolton and West Brom, and overall has 118 goals from 328 appearances.

Signed by Liverpool in January 2013, he struck a superb partnership with Luis Suárez that fired the club’s 2013-14 league season where they finished only two points behind the champions Manchester City.

His 25-goal campaign in all competitions that season remains his best return, but after hip surgery in 2015 and the arrival of Roberto Firmino his opportunities at the club became increasingly limited.