‘A TSUNAMI OF CORRUPTION’

Report’s shock findings into tennis match-fixing

ONLINE gambling has left tennis engulfed by a “tsunami” of bettingrelated corruption, according to an explosive new report.

The probe, triggered by allegations evidence of suspected match-fixing by leading players – including Grand Slam winners – had been suppressed, concluded the sport has a “serious integrity problem”.

Dishonesty was largely confined to lower levels – a “fertile breeding ground” for integrity breaches – where players often struggle to break even, and especially on the men’s circuit.

The inquiry, which took two years to complete, also found “evidence of some issues” at Grand Slams and Tour events.

It uncovered nothing showing top-level players were implicated in corruption.

But the Independent Review of Integrity in Tennis, set up in February 2016, also said there was a failure to take tough action over tanking – players seemingly giving up during matches and which has been a feature at some high-profile tournaments.

The review body made a number of recommendations. Among them were:

RESTRUCTURING the professional game and a big cut in tournaments deemed professional but where players may lose money because of the cost of competing, making them vulnerable to corruption.

BANNING the sale of official live scoring data at lower-level tennis to betting companies.

ELIMINATING betting sponsorship in the sport.

The panel discovered no evidence of a cover-up by either the Tennis Integrity Unit, the International Tennis Federation or the Association of Tennis Professionals, but said some action taken by the governing bodies was “inappropriate or ineffective”.

It warned: “Integrity problems are greatest where prize money relative to costs, prospects of advancement, public interest and attention, and financial resources of tournaments are lowest.”

Panel chairman Adam Lewis added: “Match fixing is unlikely at Grand Slam level.”