The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has announced that Leny Mitjana is to be suspended for 10 years for match fixing.
The French player, who had a career-high world ranking of 458 in 2018, was found liable for 11 charges, including contriving the outcome of matches.
In addition to the 10-year suspension, Mitjana has been fined $20,000 for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
Result of wider investigation
The news comes as part of a wider investigation into a Belgian match-fixing syndicate and adds to a list of incidents involving athletes betting on sports. Belgian authorities had been collaborating with the ITIA for some time, with a view to taking down the syndicate in question.
The long-awaited trial concluded at the end of 2023, with syndicate leader Grigor Sargsyan being found guilty. Sargsyan now faces a five-year custodial sentence for his part in the crime.
The investigation into match-fixing by the Belgian syndicate also unveiled a number of breaches on the part of Mitjana, including the facilitation of wagering, contriving the outcome of matches, influencing other players not to make their best efforts in matches, and failing to report corrupt approaches.
Mitjana is banned from playing in, coaching at or attending any tennis event that has been authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, French Tennis Federation, Wimbledon and USTA), or any other national association, for 10 years.
The details of the specific matches where Mitjana committed match-fixing offences have not been released to the public, however it is widely believed that the offences took place between 2017 and 2018, when Mitjana was at the height of his game.
The ITIA is an agency established with the intention of promoting, encouraging and safeguarding the integrity of professional tennis worldwide. It works closely with national authorities to ensure the fairness of matches at all levels.
