Match-fixing has become a perennial problem in tennis. From the first time it was reported in 2003 it has blossomed because the International Tennis Integrity Agency have always been known to exempt top ranked players from the allegation and believe that low-ranked players without sponsors are more prone to corruption allegation than others. In fact, in 2016, Novak Djokovic revealed that he was met by a match-fixing syndicate but refused to yield.
However, five low ranked tennis players have been suspended for corruption linked to a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium.
What punishment did the five players receive for match-fixing?
Four low-ranked tennis players from Mexico and one from Guatemala, who are below top 300 in the world ranking, were suspended for corruption linked to a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium. The International Tennis Integrity Agency said the players are connected to the criminal case of Grigor Sargsyan, the leader of the match-fixing syndicate, following bans on seven Belgian players that were announced last week.
The ITIA said that after several years of investigation Alberto Rojas Maldonado was banned from tennis for life and fined $250,000, the maximum allowed. Maldonado, ranked a career-best 992nd in 2015, committed 92 breaches and played a pivotal role in the corruption of other players, according to the ITIA.
Other members of the match-fixing links were presented in ITIA report that reads: “Guatemalan Christopher Díaz Figueroa, who reached an ATP career-high ranking of 326 in 2011 and previously served a three-year suspension for match-fixing (with one year suspended), including a life ban from the sport and fined $75,000.”
“Mexican José Antonio Rodríguez Rodríguez, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1,367 in 2017, was found to have committed eight breaches of the TACP (Tennis Anti-corruption Program), including match-fixing. The player has been suspended for 12 years and ordered to pay a fine of $25,001. Rodríguez’s suspension will end on 29 September 2035.”
“Mexican Antonio Ruiz Rosales, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 652 in 2008, has been suspended for 10 years and fined $30,000 for seven breaches of the TACP, including match-fixing and the facilitation of wagering. Ruiz’s suspension will end on 29 September 2033.”
“Mexican Orlando Alcántara Rangel, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1735 in 2015, has been suspended for two years and fined $10,000 for two breaches of the TACP. Alcántara’s suspension will end on 29 September 2025.”
The collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the match-fixing syndicate’s leader, Grigor Sargsyan. Professor Richard McLaren the Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) added his decision came after all five players failed to contest the ITIA’s charges against them.
Is there any previous incident of match-fixing in tennis?
On the 23rd of June 2023, Nastja Kolar and Alexandra Riley were banned from tennis for life as part of a match-fixing syndicate case. 28year-old Slovenian Kolar was fined $175,000 and 32-yaer-old American Riley was fined $50,000 for their respective match-fixing offenses which amassed to a combined 40 breaches of Tennis Anti-Corruption Program from 2015 to 2020.
The ITIA said in their statement that the players’ punishments were a testament to “the depth and significance of these breaches, which included contriving aspects of matches, wagering, facilitating wagering, courtsiding, conspiracy, and failing to report corrupt approaches. Neither player showed any contrition or remorse for their actions.”
Kolar and Riley were initially suspended in March 2023 while waiting for the results of the investigation. Nastja Kolar’s ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for both singles and doubles hit the top 200 throughout the match-fixing investigation While Riley’s singles ranking in 2015 landed at No. 691.
