ITIA bans five French tennis players for match-fixing violations
The world of tennis has been shaken by a match-fixing scandal involving five French players who have been convicted of the offence. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced heavy penalties, including lifetime bans and lengthy suspensions. This scandal is part of the broader Belgian match-fixing network that came to light in 2023.
Overview of the scandal
The 2023 Belgian match-fixing scandal uncovered a long-standing problem in tennis. The probe discovered that players competing in lower-level tournaments were taking part in a plot to rig matches for money.
The mastermind of the match-fixing ring, Grigor Sargsyan, received a five-year prison sentence. Working within the lower echelons of tennis, he was able to entice players into his corrupt system, taking advantage of their financial hardships.
The ITIA, in cooperation with the Belgian authorities, conducted a large-scale investigation that revealed the magnitude of the corruption. This led to harsh punishments for the participants and strengthened the call for stricter regulation. Four of the cases were ruled on by an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO), with the fifth resolved directly between the player and the ITIA.
“Collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the leader of the syndicate, Grigor Sargsyan,” the ITIA said in a media release.
The five sanctioned players
The ITIA named five players who were found guilty of participating in match-fixing activities:
- Yannick Thivant’s Lifetime Ban: Thivant, who once ranked as high as 590 in the world, admitted to fixing 22 matches. As a result, he was handed a lifetime ban and fined $75,000, along with additional restitution fees.
- Thomas Brechemier’s Suspension: Brechemier, ranked 399 at his peak, was found guilty of fixing 11 matches. He received a seven-year and six-month suspension, along with a $40,000 fine.
- Gabriel Petit’s Suspension: Petit, who reached a career-high ranking of 450, did not respond to ITIA’s charges and was suspended for six years and six months. He was fined $35,000.
- Thomas Setodji’s Suspension: Setodji, ranked 794 at his peak, was found guilty of fixing three matches and failing to report a corrupt approach. He received a 10-year suspension and was fined $20,000.
- Hugo Daubias’s Suspension: Daubias, with a highest ranking of 972, admitted to fixing two matches. He was suspended for two years and fined $15,000.
ITIA’s anti-corruption measures
The ITIA has implemented stricter monitoring protocols, increased financial support for integrity programmes, and introduced educational initiatives to help players recognise and resist corrupt influences. The ITIA stated that the five players were prohibited from playing, coaching, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA or any national association during their suspensions.
