Tennis Integrity Unit Clamps Down on Match Fixing with New Bans
The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) is the anti-corruption authority which covers all professional corners of the tennis world.
A watchdog with zero tolerance for match-fixing and betting-related issues in tennis, the TIU is renowned for its relentless stance on any form of wrongdoing worldwide.
The Tennis Integrity Unit has built itself a strong reputation of clamping down hard and strong on any tennis irregularities and the most recent match-fixing news come as the latest proof of the TIU’s reputation.
New Bans
The anti-corruption body stated in the most recent update that nine professional players have been banned in 2017 for either betting or match-fixing in professional tennis. Over the course of past 12 months, the total of 13 professional players were sanctioned, five of which were banned for match-fixing and four for betting activities.
In a comparison to numbers from 2016, the latest report stands as an increase to nine players and officials banned two years ago. The Tennis Integrity Unit continues to keep its eyes wide open and has announced that a more detailed report on recent match-fixing findings will be made soon.
The figures released for 2016/2017 do indeed offer a worrying insight into the extent of illegal activities in tennis sport but – at the same time – stand as an improvement knowing that the number of alerts is in steady decline under the constant watch of the Unit.
The number of alerts dropped from 292 in 2016 to 241 in 2017.
“There is no doubt that most players and officials conduct themselves in an exemplary fashion, but the small minority who choose to break the rules are a continuing concern.”, TIU director Nigel Willerton commented.
The Process
The Tennis Integrity Unit has established a working system which start off with match alerts.
Even though these alerts do not imply culpability in its full effectiveness, they act as alarm bells that raise a red flag over a match in which a potential irregularity may or may not have occurred.
Once identified as a potential problem, a match will be examined in detail by a specialised team of experts that work for the Unit. It’s only after the fears and assumptions of any wrongdoing have been confirmed that further disciplinary proceedings will take place to sanction the players or persons involved.
When it comes to 2017, Romania’s Alexandru-Daniel Carpen was given a lifetime ban after being found guilty of match-fixing where his compatriots Mihaila Damian and Maruis Frosa were issued 12-month and eight-month bans, respectively.
In addition to Romania which appears to be hit the hardest, Greece and Japan stand out with Konstantinos Mikos and Junn Mitsuhashi joining Carpen with their own life-time bans from tennis.
Nikita Kryvonos and Nick Lindahl were also struck hard with 10-year and 7-year bans, respectively, after being found guilty of match-fixing activities.