Match-fixing reports rock world tennis

Tennis authorities rejected reports by the BBC and online BuzzFeed News, which said 16 players who have been ranked in the top 50 had been repeatedly flagged to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they had thrown matches in the past decade. The reports follow in the wake of corruption scandals in world soccer and athletics. 

The BBC and BuzzFeed News said the TIU, set up to police illegal activities in tennis, either failed to act upon information that identified suspicious behaviour amongst players, or impose any sanctions. 

All of the players, including winners of Grand Slam titles, were allowed to continue competing, while eight were playing in the Australian Open, reports added. TIU director of integrity Nigel Willerton told reporters in Melbourne he would not comment on whether any players on the pro tour were under investigation, saying it would be inappropriate to do so. “The Tennis Integrity Unit and the tennis authorities absolutely reject any suggestion that evidence of match fixing has been suppressed for any reason or isn’t being thoroughly investigated,” said ATP chairman Chris Kermode. 

“While the reports mainly refer to events from about 10 years ago, we will investigate any new information,” Kermode told a hastily arranged media conference at Melbourne Park. The news organisations said they had not named anyone because without access to their phone, bank and computer records it was not possible to determine whether they took part in match-fixing. They said the 2007 ATP inquiry found betting syndicates in Russia, northern Italy and Sicily making hundreds of thousands of pounds betting on games which investigators thought to be fixed. In a confidential report for tennis authorities in 2008, the inquiry team said 28 players involved in those games should be investigated but the findings were never followed up, the news organisations said. Tennis authorities introduced a new anti-corruption code in 2009 but after taking legal advice were told previous corruption offences could not be pursued, they added. 

The reports created a stir at the Australian Open, with players expressing surprise at the allegations. “When I’m playing, I can only answer for me, I play very hard, and every player I play seems to play hard,” Serena Williams said. “If that’s going on, I don’t know about it.” Men’s world number seven Kei Nishikori of Japan added he had not heard of any incidence of match-fixing.