Brentford striker Ivan Toney was not selected for England's World Cup squad on "footballing grounds", says the Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham.
The 26-year-old has been charged by the Football Association with 232 alleged breaches of betting rules.
Toney has scored 10 Premier League goals this season and had been tipped for a place in the England squad.
"He was absolutely available for selection," Bullingham told BBC Sport. "He was not chosen on footballing grounds."
Asked if this was a problem within the English game, Bullingham said: "I think our rules are very clear and we have had a small number of cases.
"Obviously, we will look to enforce the rules when they are broken."