Tennis Rocked by Match-Fixing Allegations; ATP Chief Denies Any Cover-up

Tennis has been hit with allegations of match-fixing after secret files were uncovered with evidence of widespread suspected match-fixing at the top level of world tennis, including at Wimbledon, according to a report by the BBC and BuzzFeed News.

The report states that “over the last decade, 16 players who have ranked in the top 50 have been repeatedly flagged to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they have thrown matches.”

All of the players, including winners of Grand Slam titles, were allowed to continue competing.

The BBC’s report added: “Eight of the players repeatedly flagged to the TIU over the past decade are due to play in the Australian Open.”

ATP chief executive Chris Kermode has rejected claims that the tennis authorities are not investigating match-fixing thoroughly enough or are involved in any cover-up.

A statement released by the tennis authorities at the Australian Open in Melbourne, which got underway on Monday, said it “absolutely rejects any suggestion that evidence of match fixing has been suppressed for any reason,” it said in a statement released in Melbourne, site of the Australian Open.

Speaking to the BBC, Kermode said: “It is simply not true that we are sitting on evidence. What happens is that information and intelligence are given to the Tennis Integrity Unit and they then have to turn that into evidence.

“There is a big difference here between information and intelligence as to evidence. Every single bit of information that the Tennis Integrity Unit receives is investigated properly.

“We take this so seriously. Their [the TIU’s] job is to eradicate any of this going on. We are aware that it is there. I think that it is on an incredibly small level, and it is our business going forward that we keep acting upon this in the best possible way.”

Kermode added: “While the BBC and BuzzFeed reports mainly refer to events from about 10 years ago, we will investigate any new information.” 

Full story HERE.

{jcomments on}