ITIA Press Release, February 5, 2021

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has today confirmed that unranked Russian player Nikita Gudozhnikov has been banned from the sport for 30 months, following his failure to co-operate with an ITIA investigation.

The case was ruled on by Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Ian Mill QC and in addition to the ban, Mr Gudozhnikov has also been fined $7,500. The sanction means he is prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis for a period of 30 months from yesterday’s decision (4 February 2021).

Failing to co-operate is a breach of section F.2.b. of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) rules, which state:

“All Covered Persons must cooperate fully with investigations conducted by the TIU including giving evidence at hearings, if requested. After a Covered Person receives a TIU request for an initial interview or otherwise becomes aware of any TIU investigation involving the Covered Person, the Covered Person shall (i) preserve and not tamper with, damage, disable, destroy or otherwise alter any evidence (including any personal devices described in Section F.2.c.i.) or other information related to any Corruption Offense and (ii) not solicit, facilitate or advise any other person to fail to preserve, tamper with, damage, disable, destroy or otherwise alter any evidence or other information related to any Corruption Offense.”