Tennis has been labelled the dirtiest sport on the earth following a world investigation into corruption.
Bombshell match-fixing allegations rocked the game final yr when two gamers had been reported to have been provided cash to repair matches with one alleged occasion occurring throughout a first-round doubles match at Wimbledon in 2021.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) was shaped in 2021 to deal with ongoing corruption inside the sport and is claimed to be on excessive alert over latest circumstances.
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It’s led to a much bigger than regular operation to be put in place at Melbourne Park for the 2023 Australian Open with brokers protecting shut watch on a number of “persons of interest”, in accordance with News Corp Australia.
With thousands and thousands of eyes from everywhere in the globe tuning in and cameras protecting virtually each angle of Melbourne Park, officers don’t suspect any situations to unfold through the Australian Open.
Corruption in sport tends to occur away from the highlight and happen throughout decrease stage tournaments.
Despite that, investigators inside the partitions of Melbourne Park are reportedly intently monitoring a number of targets.
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“There are players who have been involved in match fixing who will come to the grand slams,” ITIA communications boss Adrian Bassett stated to the Herald Sun.
“Of course, the players who are of interest who come to grand slams, that’s half the reason our investigators are here.
“But we don’t see evidence of mass match fixing at grand slams because this is when everyone is watching and the bookmakers are keeping a close eye on it as well.”
While corruption and match-fixing is nothing new to the sporting world, the extent of it unfolding in tennis – uncovered by the ITIA – paints a damning image.
Over the ultimate 4 months of 2022 the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) grew to become conscious of 76 suspicious alerts.
A tick underneath half of all situations got here from the world of tennis.
Last yr alone 4 gamers had been handed lifetime bans from the game with 26 coaches handed bans that totalled a whopping 183 years.
Prior to the Australian Open getting underway two Algerian gamers had been handed bans over a number of match-fixing incidents from 2016.
“Mohamed Hassan has been banned for life from the sport and Houria Boukholda banned for two years (with 18 months suspended),” the ITIA reported.
“In addition to the bans, Hassan was fined $12,100 and Boukholda fined $10,000 (with $9,000 suspended).
“The cases were ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Janie Soublière and the sanctions mean that both players are prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis. Neither individual engaged with the process nor responded to the charges.”
