LONDON, September 5, 2024 (ITIA Press Release)
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that five tennis players have been sanctioned for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
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.
All individuals admitted to breaches and accepted an agreed sanction – waiving their right to a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer. All charges relate to matches played in 2017 and/or 2018, and relate to contriving the outcome of matches, facilitating betting, accepting money in exchange for not giving best efforts, and failure to report corrupt approaches.
36-year-old Iván Endara from Ecuador, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 367 in July 2015, has been suspended for five years, and fined $15,000. The suspension began on 26 July 2024, and will expire on 25 July 2029.
29-year-old Mauricio Reséndiz Domínguez from Mexico, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1305 in October 2016, has been suspended for five years, and fined $15,000. The suspension began on 15 July 2024, and will expire on 14 July 2029.
35-year-old Raúl Isaías Rosas-Zarur from Mexico, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1425 in March 2018, has been suspended for five years, and fined $15,000. The suspension began on 24 July 2024, and will expire on 23 July 2029.
30-year-old Ivar Aramburu Contreras from Mexico, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1244 in August 2022, has been suspended for two years and two months, and fined $44,000 – of which $30,800 is suspended. The suspension began on 8 January 2024, and will expire on 7 March 2026.
32-year-old Aitor Aramburu Contreras from Mexico, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1663 in March 2018, has been suspended for one year and 10 months, and fined $36,000 – of which $25,200 is suspended. The suspension began on 8 February 2024, and will expire on 7 December 2025.
During their periods of ineligibility, the players are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.