Tennis Betting Scandal Lands Four Officials in the Soup as They Pay Heavy Price for Consequences

The International Tennis Integrity Agency is an organization that oversees matters that deal with the ethics of the sport. Additionally, they are also a regulatory body that oversees the integrity of the sport. They were established after the Tennis Integrity Unit required an upgrade. In a recent turn of events, they found their hands full as they suspended four officials.

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While the ITIA has worked hours on end to ensure the integrity of the sport, they have come under fire for mismanagement many times. However, they have made sure to be thorough with the details as they hand out sentences to those who violate the rules. 

The ITIA confirms the suspension of four tennis officials 

The ITIA announced recently that they have suspended four officials for the breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). Edvinas Grigaitis, Georgian Givi Khudoiani, and Armenian Arsen Movsisyan were sanctioned by Janie Soublière, the independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO). At the same time, Manuel Sperger accepted the sanction directly with the ITIA as he was convicted of match-fixing in Austria.

Grigaitis was suspended for three years for four TACP violations. Delaying or manipulating the entry of scoring data for betting purposes, enabling wagering, and conspiring to commit offenses. Grigaitis was also charged with betting on tennis events in which they were not participating. 

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Khudoiani and Movsisyan were found manipulating the score data from matches in 2019 and 2020 for betting purposes. Khudoiani was found guilty of 15 TACP breaches, which gave him a 14-year suspension and a $25,000 fine. Movsisyan will only be handed a suspension of five years. 

Manuel Sperger was the subject of match-fixing-related proceedings and admitted to manipulating scores for betting in 2016 and 2017. Sperger was charged with 12 offenses under the TACP. Additionally, he was also charged for the act of manipulating scoring data for betting purposes and wagering. Sperger agreed to the suspension and waived his right to appear before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer.

He has been suspended for seven years and six months, along with $25,000 in fines. Along with their suspension, all four are prohibited from attending or officiating any tennis events authorized by the members of the ITIA: ITF, ATP, WTA, and the national associations that hold the grand slams. 

The conditions of their suspension will give some confidence to the tennis world as they have shown their impartiality towards flagrant violations. Following such harsh sentences, officials will now think twice before getting into such situations.

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