LONDON, March 14, 2024 (ITIA Press Release)
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) can today confirm that Swedish tennis player Dragos Nicolae Madaras has been suspended from the sport for a period of four years and six months and fined $2,500 for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). provisionally suspended since 17 August 2023, and time served under provisional suspension will be credited against their period of ineligibility. As such, their suspension will end on 16 February 2028.
The ITIA charged Madaras with breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) following a series of events in which Madaras refused to submit a personal device for examination when issued a request to do so by ITIA investigators. Instead of handing over their mobile phone for examination, Madaras passed the device to their brother, Patrick, who had received accreditation to an event under the pretence of being Dragos’ hitting partner. Patrick also refused to submit the device, before departing the scene. A hearing was held before independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Charles Hollander KC on 28 February 2024, in which AHO Hollander found Dragos Madaras to have breached sections F.2.b (failure to co-operate) and D.1.l (obtaining accreditation by misrepresentation) of the TACP. Madaras has beenDuring the period of ineligibility, the player is 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.
Patrick Madaras, who has no professional role in tennis, was also found to have breached section F.2.b of the TACP and has been suspended from attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by members of the ITIA or any national association for a period of two years and six months.