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Argentinian tennis player suspended for five years

Argentinian tennis player suspended for five years

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Argentinian tennis player Eduardo Agustín Torre has been suspended for a period of five years following 35 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

The sanction is linked to a recently concluded criminal case 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. Charges against Torre relate to offenses from 2017, but the ITIA’s case was deferred until after the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

Torre, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 596 in September 2014, did not respond to the ITIA’s charges. The case was ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Amani Khalifa, who also issued Torre a fine of $35,000.

In failing to respond to the ITIA charges, Torre effectively admitted liability for all charges and acceded to sanctions.

The breaches included facilitation of wagering, contriving the outcome of matches, soliciting money or benefit to negatively influence a player’s best efforts, failure to report corrupt approaches, and failure to report corruption offenses.

The suspension will run from the date of the decision (26 April 2024) and end at midnight on 25 April 2029.

During the period of ineligibility, Torre 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. 

The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.  

White Paper Provides Key Recommendations to Address Competition Manipulation

White Paper Provides Key Recommendations to Address Competition Manipulation

A new white paper from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and McLaren Global Sport Solutions (MGSS) builds on expert perspectives and experiences shared during two international symposiums hosted in Toronto, Canada. The white paper, titled Competition Manipulation and Gambling: Threats to Canadian Sport, provides a summary of the 2023 Symposium on Competition Manipulation and Gambling in Sport, outlines five key recommendations to mitigate the risks of competition manipulation, and describes recent changes in the Canadian sport gambling landscape.

“Competition manipulation – or match fixing – is rising at an alarming rate globally, and Canada is not immune to this threat. Both regulated and illegal betting markets are being exploited by bad actors and criminal organizations, who often prey on vulnerable athletes in the process. Several Canadian sports have been shown to be at heightened risk and can be influenced from abroad, including offshore betting. The Toronto symposium brought together global experts and key Canadian stakeholders on this subject; the white paper is an outcome of this important consultation and provides several strategies and recommendations to protect the integrity of Canadian sport,” said Richard McLaren, CEO of MGSS.

Co-hosted by the CCES and MGSS in May 2023, the Symposium on Competition Manipulation and Gambling in Sport brought together more than 150 delegates from sectors including athletes, national, multi, and international sport, national and provincial governments, sport gambling operators and regulators, professional sport leagues, integrity units, and law enforcement agencies. With the introduction of single-event sport betting to the Canadian market in 2021, the increased likelihood of competition manipulation and other threats to sport integrity requires a coordinated response from all stakeholders.

“Competition manipulation is a real and present threat to sport integrity and this white paper provides a clear look at the comprehensive plans that other domestic and international organizations have successfully implemented to protect athletes and sporting events. It also reinforces the need for an independently administered harmonized Canadian competition manipulation policy that’s developed with athletes and adopted by all sports in Canada. The symposium and white paper both put a heavy emphasis on the need for a comprehensive education program to support a policy and protect sport, which the CCES has been providing to the sport community,” said Jeremy Luke, CCES president and CEO. “We appreciate everyone who shared their knowledge and lived experience during the symposium and support these initiatives and thank MGSS for their expertise and collaboration.” 

Read about the 2023 Symposium and the five key recommendations, and download the white paper

Circular no. 1877 - FIFA Integrity Summit 2024

Circular no. 1877 - FIFA Integrity Summit 2024

TO THE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS OF FIFA

Circular no. 1877

Zurich, 8 February 2024

FIFA Integrity Summit 2024

Dear Sir or Madam,

As per the FIFA Statutes, one of FIFA’s key objectives is to promote integrity and prevent practices, such as match manipulation, that might jeopardise the integrity of matches, competitions, players, officials and member associations, or give rise to abuse of association football.

FIFA remains steadfast in the fight against match manipulation through the implementation of integrity initiatives, including the establishment of dedicated integrity educational programmes. In this regard, and in line with our commitment to promoting and protecting the integrity of football worldwide, we are delighted to announce that the first FIFA Integrity Summit will be held in Singapore on 4 and 5 April 2024.

The FIFA Integrity Summit aims to bring together the integrity officers of all 211 FIFA member associations and of the six confederations, with the primary goal of collaboratively tackling the pressing issue of match manipulation and formulating effective measures to combat it. This summit will serve as a crucial platform for engaging in profound discussions on the best practices and strategic approaches to combating match manipulation. For more information on the FIFA Integrity Summit, please consult the brochure attached to this circular. 

FIFA hereby invites all member associations and confederations to nominate one integrity officer (or one official responsible for integrity matters within their association) to participate in the upcoming FIFA Integrity Summit. In order to ensure that the entire community of integrity officers can participate in this event in person, FIFA will cover the travel and accommodation expenses of this person.

Integrity officers are invited to complete the registration process by filling out the registration form available under the following link.

Registration will be open until 25 February 2024.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Yazid Zakaria, Integrity Manager, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

We look forward to your feedback and to working closely with you to protect the integrity of football. 

Yours faithfully, 

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE

DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Three tennis players sanctioned for match-fixing

Three tennis players sanctioned for match-fixing

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) can today confirm that three tennis players, Timur Khabibulin, Sanjar Fayziev and Igor Smilansky, have been sanctioned and fined following breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

The decision was made by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Janie Soublière, who had previously upheld the ITIA charges against the three players for related match-fixing activity whilst sanctions were considered. The confirmed sanctions are:

  • Timur Khabibulin from Kazakhstan has been banned from the sport for life and fined $60,000
  • Sanjar Fayziev from Uzbekistan has been banned for three years and six months (with six months suspended) and fined $15,000
  • Igor Smilansky from Israel has been banned for two years with a $4,000 fine (with $1,000 suspended)

Khabibulin, who had a highest ATP doubles ranking of 154, was found liable for 21 individual charges relating to match fixing between 2014 and 2019. Fayziev, who also had a highest ATP doubles ranking of 154, was found liable for five charges relating to two matches in 2018. Smilansky, who had a highest ATP singles ranking of 451, was found liable for three charges relating to one match in 2018.

The sanctions will begin from the date of the players’ provisional suspensions on 25 July 2023 which means Fayziev will be suspended until 24 July 2026 and Smilansky will be suspended until 24 July 2025 (subject to their fines being paid or repayment schemes agreed).

During such period for Fayziev and Smilansky, and permanently for Khabibulin, they are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or any national association.

The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.

Genius Sports strikes new integrity partnership with Major Basketball League Malaysia

Genius Sports strikes new integrity partnership with Major Basketball League Malaysia

Major Basketball League Malaysia, the top tier of the sport run by the Malaysia Basketball Association, has announced a new integrity partnership with Genius Sports to fight the threat of match-fixing.

As the trusted integrity partner to over 150 sports leagues and federations worldwide including the Indonesian Basketball League, Thailand Basketball Association and Vietnam Basketball Association, Genius Sports will provide Major Basketball League Malaysia with a comprehensive integrity programme to identify, combat and prevent match-fixing.

Genius Sports’ 24/7/365 Bet Monitoring System will use artificial intelligence to analyse global wagering activity on Malaysian basketball, cross-referencing real-time odds movements with proprietary predictive algorithms to automatically flag potentially suspicious activity. Through its global team of expert integrity operators, Genius Sports will thoroughly examine all monitoring data to provide Major Basketball League Malaysia with detailed reports and data-driven analysis.

To provide long-term protection from any threats, Genius Sports will also provide model rules and regulations to provide robust foundations for the league’s new integrity programme. Genius Sports will also deliver expert educational workshops, helping players, officials and coaches to understand how match-fixers operate, where they should report any attempts to manipulate games and the personal and professional consequences for not doing so.

“This collaboration between MBL and Genius Sports to safeguard the integrity of our competitions represents a major milestone in the development of Malaysia basketball,” said Frank Ch’ng, Commissioner of MBL. “We’re proud to be working alongside Genius Sports to ensure our games remain transparent, unpredictable and fair.”

“In the fight against match-fixing, sports must be proactive and invest in measures that both identify existing threats and provide long-term protection,” said Stephen Thurley, Head of Integrity Partnerships at Genius Sports. “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with Major Basketball League Malaysia, building a robust integrity programme that combines model rules and regulations with 24/7 monitoring and education services.”

Two tennis players sanctioned under Tennis Anti-Corruption Program

Two tennis players sanctioned under Tennis Anti-Corruption Program

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) can today confirm sanctions for two tennis players under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). 
 
The sanctions are linked to a recently concluded criminal case 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.  Five other players related to the case had previously been sanctioned after failing to respond to ITIA charges in 2023.
 
Sanctions were imposed by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Professor Richard McLaren following a formal hearing held between 4-5 March 2024. The sanctions are effective from 4 April 2024. 
 
Alejandro Mendoza Crespo, a 34-year-old Bolivian who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 741 in 2016, was issued the maximum penalty by AHO McLaren for committing 20 major offenses under the TACP, resulting in a lifetime ban from the sport and a $250,000 fine. 
 
Mendoza was found by AHO McLaren to have “engaged in a continuous pattern of corruption” between 2016 and 2018, including initiating corruption offenses by encouraging other players to contrive the outcome of matches for financial gain.  
 
Jorge Panta Herreros, a 28-year-old Peruvian with a career-high world singles ranking of 447 reached in 2022, has been suspended for three years and fined $10,000, having been found liable for four major offenses under the TACP, including contriving the outcome of two of their own matches over a period of two years. Panta’s suspension will end at midnight on 3 April 2027. 
 
During their periods of ineligibility, Mendoza and Panta 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.   

The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.    

To access the full decision, click here.

USA Fencing Decision Is Lenient on Match Fixing and Undermines the Integrity of Sport

USA Fencing Decision Is Lenient on Match Fixing and Undermines the Integrity of Sport

30 April 2024: USA Fencing athletes are aggrieved by the recent decision by USA Fencing to enact a weak and futile suspension on two American fencing referees.

Yesterday’s decision by USA Fencing to sanction Mr. Jacobo Morales and Mr. Brandon Romo for only nine months after being found guilty of violating the USA Fencing Referee Code of Ethics, the FIE Technical Rules and the FIE Ethical Code undermines the ethics of the sport and every athlete who strives for success on the grounds of fair play.

Fencers, like all athletes, are required and expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity when competing. When athletes fail to do so, swift sanctions and consequences are enacted. This decision, however, highlights the discrepancy in accountability standards between athletes and officials, with the latter often receiving minimal repercussions for breaking the rules of sport, as evidenced in this case. This decision provides zero deterrence for match manipulation and leaves athletes, who dedicate their lives to the sport, vulnerable to unfair refereeing and match-fixing.

These officials, who are not competing for medals, are expected to uphold the rules of the sport with integrity. Yet, they have undermined the very fiber of sport – a level playing field – and are facing inconsequential repercussions. If USA Fencing is committed to protecting the rules and integrity of their sport, these officials must receive multi-year suspensions.

Furthermore, based on this decision and with a pending second investigation yet to be complete, USA fencing has set a precedent that leniency is afforded to officials who break the rules. How can athletes have confidence that the sport will abide by its own rules that were established to protect athletes and fair play when decisions, as per this case, indirectly endorse match manipulation?

Importantly, the investigation and USA Fencing has failed to recognize this event was an Olympic qualifier. USA Fencing has yet to redistribute competition points to ensure justice prevails. If USA Fencing cares about fair sport this must be immediately implemented.

As athletes head into the Paris Olympic Games, USA Fencing and the International Fencing Federation have a responsibility to clean up the sport and enact tough sanctions on match manipulation to not only avoid a cloud of suspicion overshadowing the performances in Paris but to ensure that all fencers in Paris have fairly earnt their position and will compete on a level piste.

On behalf of,

Select members of the USA Fencing Team

Global football integrity experts to gather at first FIFA Integrity Summit in Singapore

Global football integrity experts to gather at first FIFA Integrity Summit in Singapore

  • Two-day event to take place in Singapore on 4-5 April

  • Participants to discuss the latest integrity developments

  • Focus on collaborative approach to tackle match manipulation

FIFA has invited the integrity officers of all 211 FIFA member associations and the six confederations to the first FIFA Integrity Summit, which will be held in Singapore on 4 and 5 April 2024 in collaboration with the Asian Football Confederation and the Football Association of Singapore.

The summit aims to update integrity officers on global integrity trends, share best practices, present the new FIFA Integrity Handbook and Education Roadmap, and explore relevant decisions from FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding match manipulation.

FIFA remains steadfast in the fight against match manipulation through the implementation of dedicated integrity programmes in close cooperation with its member associations. Keynote speakers from FIFA, CAS and other professionals involved in combating match manipulation will contribute to fostering knowledge exchange.

For the agenda, click here.

Madrid IntegriSport 3.0 event highlights need to protect players against match-fixing

Madrid IntegriSport 3.0 event highlights need to protect players against match-fixing
  • FIFPRO President David Aganzo and Legal Director Roy Vermeer spoke at latest IntegriSport 3.0 event at the National Police Complex in Madrid, Spain

  • President Aganzo presented from a player perspective the issues of match-fixing in Spain 

  • “What we must do at all times is protect the players, who are often the victims in these situations,” said Aganzo

FIFPRO President David Aganzo and Legal Director Roy Vermeer were both present at the latest IntegriSport 3.0 Awareness Raising Practical Session (ARPS) at the National Police Complex in Madrid, Spain last week. The event was organised by CSCF Foundation for Sports Integrity along with the Spanish National Centre of Police for Integrity in Sports and Betting (CENPIDA).

More than 100 officials from various departments of Policia Nacional and the country’s Ministry of Interior gathered in the Spanish capital for practical seminars on tackling sport manipulation. 

Speaking on a panel alongside AFE Secretary General Diego Rivas and Head of Legal Services Maria Jose Lopez, FIFPRO President David Aganzo presented from a player perspective the issues of match-fixing in Spain, where he also serves as AFE President, and the need to protect players.

Aganzo said: "Unfortunately, match-fixing and sport manipulation is a problem at both national and international level. It is complex, and many players are susceptible to being a target for organised crime.

"Things are very different for footballers today compared to how it was when I was a player: there is much more education, and there's more to learn from other athletes in other sports like basketball. Not all players have access to this knowledge, so that is where we as unions provide support.

"What we must do at all times is aim to protect the players, who are often the victims in these situations, and it is something that both FIFPRO and AFE are wanting to eradicate."

Meanwhile, Vermeer discussed how match-fixing affects footballers using the case studies of Samir Arab, Igor Labuts and Ofosu Appiah, and how players can be protected through education, good governance, and reporting tools such as the Red Button app.

What is IntegriSport 3.0?

Integrisport 3.0 is a project established by CSCF Foundation for Sports Integrity to provide theoretical and practical support for law enforcement and judiciaries in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Romania, and Spain, co-financed by the European Union, on fighting sport manipulation.

The inaugural awareness-raising practical session marked the commencement of this project and the 15th edition of the successful Integrisport program, reaching nearly two-thirds of EU countries' law enforcement and judiciaries in the last four-and-a-half years.

CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity Director Norbert Rubicsek said: "Our dedication to upholding the purity of sports has propelled us to organise this ground-breaking event. We firmly believe that by fostering cooperation among all stakeholders, we can forge a resilient framework to combat sport manipulation and safeguard the values that make sports so special."

FIFA extends sanctions imposed by Brazilian FA due to match manipulation

FIFA extends sanctions imposed by Brazilian FA due to match manipulation

FIFA has confirmed the worldwide extension of sanctions imposed on 11 players by the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) relating to incidents of match manipulation that took place in Brazilian football.

Following investigations by the Brazilian authorities and the disciplinary proceedings opened by the CBF, the following players have been banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity:

  • Ygor de Oliveira Ferreira (lifetime ban)

  • Paulo Sérgio Marques Corrêa (600 days as of 26 May 2023)

  • Gabriel Ferreira Neris (lifetime ban)

  • Jonathan Doin (720 days as of 16 May 2023)

  • Fernando José da Cunha Neto (360 days as of 16 May 2023)

  • Eduardo Gabriel dos Santos Bauermann (360 days as of 16 May 2023)

  • Matheus Phillipe Coutinho (lifetime ban)

  • Mateus da Silva Duarte (600 days as of 26 May 2023)

  • André Luiz Guimarães Siqueira Junior (600 days as of 26 May 2023)

  • Onitlasi Junior Moraes (720 days as of 16 May 2023)

  • Kevin Joel Lomónaco (360 days as of 16 May 2023)

As a result of the sound and exemplary cooperation with the CBF and in line with article 70 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend all of the above-mentioned sanctions to have worldwide effect.

FIFA will continue its ongoing efforts to combat match manipulation through a variety of initiatives, which include the monitoring of international betting markets, the confidential FIFA Reporting Portal, the FIFA Integrity app, as well as several awareness and educational activities across the world.

38 suspicious betting alerts reported by IBIA in Q2 2021

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14 July 2021: The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) reported 38 cases of suspicious betting to the relevant authorities during the second quarter (Q2) of 2021. The Q2 2021 total represents a 41% decrease in reported alerts when compared to the Q1 total of 64 and represents a similar decrease when compared to the Q2 2020 total, which saw 65 alerts. The Q2 alerts covered football (16 cases), table tennis (9), tennis (6), eSports (6) and beach volleyball (1). From a geographical perspective, Europe accounted for nearly half (47%) of all alerts reported, followed by Asia and South America with 13% each.

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