ITIA confirms fines and suspensions against seven players

The independent body established to safeguard, promote, encourage and enhance the integrity of professional tennis worldwide, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), announced sanctions against seven tennis players from Belgium found to have breached the established rules, the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). Announced Friday, the new sanctions come after a criminal investigation found the players were involved in a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium.

Grigor Sargsyan, identified as the leader of the syndicate, was sentenced to a five-year custodial sentence. The sentence comes after a collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities, a statement released by the Association reveals. Besides the person identified as the leader of the syndicate, penalties were enforced against all seven players who were convicted by criminal court and agreed to receive sanctions from the ITIA as well.

The list of sanctioned players includes Arnaud Graisse, Alec Witmeur, Arthur de Greef, Romain Barbosa, Julien Dubail, Omar Salman and Maxime Authom. Graisse was found guilty of 12 TACP breaches, while Dubail was found guilty of nine breaches. Salman and Authom were sanctioned due to six breaches each. On the other hand, Witmeur admitted to six breaches, while Barbosa and de Greef admitted to nine breaches of the TACP each.

For the uncovered breaches, Graisse was suspended for four years and 10 months, effective from October 2, 2023, through August 1, 2028. He was also fined $60,000 with $42,000 suspended.

Dubail was suspended for three years and four months, effective from October 4, 2023, through July 3, 2027. He was also fined $45,000 - with $31,500 suspended, according to the ITIA.

Salman was suspended by the ITIA for two years and seven months, effective from October 9, 2023, through May 8, 2026. He was also impacted by a $30,000 fine with $21,000 suspended.

Similarly to the others, Authom was also suspended. His suspension of three years and nine months started on October 28, 2023, and will go through July 27, 2027. Not unexpectedly, he was also fined $30,000 with $21,000 suspended.

The suspension against Witmeur is for two years and seven months. He was provisionally suspended in May 2021 along with Barbosa and de Greef. Considering that his provisional suspension will be credited against his period of ineligibility, Witmeur will remain under suspension through December 26, 2023. The fine against him was $30,000 with $21,000 suspended.

Barbosa's suspension is for three years and nine months and it is scheduled to end on February 26, 2025. The fine imposed against him is $45,000 with $31,500 suspended. Likewise, de Greef was suspended for three years and nine months, with his suspension set to end on February 26, 2025. He was also fined $45,000 with $31,500 suspended, according to the ITIA.

The suspensions effectively prohibit the players from attending, coaching or playing any tennis event that is sanctioned or authorized under the ITIA members, including WTA, ATP, Roland Garros, ITF and more.

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