By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, January 31, 2025
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson
Corruption will cost six players several years of their prospective playing careers.
Six current and former players have been hit with suspensions and fines for match fixing offenses in what the International Tennis Integrity Agency calls “historic corruption offenses.”
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The sanctions are linked to a criminal case heard in 2023 involving a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium.
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 statement.
Read the the full decision in the case here.
Five of the players admitted to breaches, relating to matches played in 2017 and/or 2018. Three French tennis players accepted agreed sanctions, waiving their right to a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO).
The ITIA’s statement on each player and their punishment is here:
Jerome Inzerillo, 34, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 354 in July 2012, accepted an agreed sanction of five years and seven months, with a fine of $50,000, of which $35,000 is suspended. The suspension began on 27 October 2024, and will end on 26 May 2030.
42-year-old David Guez, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 116 in July 2010, accepted an agreed sanction of four years, with a fine of $25,000, of which $17,500 is suspended. The suspension began on 25 October 2024, and will end on 24 October 2028.
Romain Bauvy, age 30, who reached a career-high world doubles ranking of 758 in March 2016, accepted the same sanction. The suspension began on 6 November 2024, and will end on 5 November 2028.
Two players requested that their cases be referred to an independent anti-corruption hearing officer (AHO) to determine sanction. AHO Janie Soublière ruled on the cases of French tennis players Yannick Jankovits and François-Arthur Vibert.
The 38-year-old Jankovits, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 226 in September 2015, has been suspended for two years, and fined $28,000, of which $21,000 is suspended. The suspension began on 21 October 2024, and will expire on 20 October 2026. The full decision can be read by clicking here.
The 34-year-old Vibert, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 591 in September 2012, has been suspended for two years and three months, and fined $35,000, of which $28,500 is suspended. The suspension’s starting point was backdated to 12 June 2024, and will end on 11 September 2026. The full decision can be read by clicking here.
Agustin Moyano, 34, from Argentina, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1343 in September 2015, denied the charges, and requested a full hearing. AHO Charles Hollander KC ruled on the case, issuing Moyano with a suspension of 15 years, and a fine of $10,000. The suspension began on 2 December 2024, and will end on 1 December 2039.
During their suspensions, the players are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorized or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.
