LONDON — The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has announced the suspension of five individuals from the sport, including a former top-50 player and several officials, following investigations into multiple breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). The sanctions, which include bans of up to 16 years and significant fines, stem from a wide-ranging probe into match-fixing and betting-related corruption, casting a renewed shadow over the sport's lower-tier circuits.
In a detailed statement released on its official website, the ITIA confirmed that the independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO), Professor Richard McLaren, had ruled on the cases. The charges relate to incidents occurring between 2016 and 2023, primarily at the ITF (International Tennis Federation) World Tennis Tour level, where players and officials are considered more vulnerable to approaches from corrupt betting syndicates.
The Sanctioned Individuals and Their Offenses
The most prominent name among those sanctioned is Jorge Brian Panta of Peru, a 28-year-old who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 447 in 2017. Panta has been banned for 14 years and fined $250,000, with $175,000 suspended. He was found guilty of 39 breaches of the TACP, including:
- Manipulating the outcome or aspect of multiple matches.
- Soliciting other players not to use their best efforts.
- Facilitating wagering on the outcome of matches.
- Failing to report corrupt approaches.
The ITIA's investigation found that Panta's activities were not isolated. He was implicated alongside a network of officials, whose roles in facilitating corruption are considered particularly damaging to the sport's integrity.
Officials Implicated in the Scheme
Four officials received bans for their involvement. Arbitro Guillermo Savarese of Argentina was handed the harshest penalty: a 16-year ban and a $150,000 fine ($125,000 suspended). He was convicted of 52 breaches, including manipulating scoring data entry on the ITIA's electronic scoring system to enable successful bets on matches where the outcome was pre-determined.
The other sanctioned officials are:
- Arbitro Andres Adrian Chimenti (Argentina): 12-year ban, $75,000 fine ($56,250 suspended).
- Arbitro Gaston Eduardo Onando (Argentina): 10-year ban, $50,000 fine ($37,500 suspended).
- Arbitro Pablo Daniel Conci (Argentina): 7-year and 6-month ban, $25,000 fine ($18,750 suspended).
All officials were charged with offenses related to manipulating scoring data, failing to report corrupt approaches, and wagering on tennis. In its statement, the ITIA emphasized the critical role officials play, stating, "The manipulation of scoring data for betting purposes is a direct attack on the heart of our sport's integrity. Officials are entrusted with impartiality, and breaches of this trust are treated with the utmost severity."
The Investigation and Broader Context
The cases were largely uncovered through the ITIA's sophisticated monitoring and analysis of betting patterns, followed by a detailed forensic investigation. The agency, which is fully funded by the Grand Slam Board, the ATP, WTA, and ITF, has significantly increased its investigative capabilities in recent years. Professor McLaren, in his ruling, noted the "coordinated and deliberate nature of the breaches, which undermined multiple competitions over a sustained period."
This latest round of suspensions is part of an ongoing, global effort to clean up tennis's lower levels. The ITF World Tennis Tour, with its vast number of events and players struggling to cover costs, has long been identified as a high-risk environment for corruption. The ITIA has banned over 50 players and officials since its formation in 2021, inheriting the anti-corruption mandate from the Tennis Integrity Unit.
Karen Moorhouse, CEO of the ITIA, reiterated the organization's zero-tolerance stance: "These sanctions, some of the most significant we have issued, should serve as a stark reminder that the ITIA has the resolve and the resources to pursue and prosecute complex cases. Corruption has no place in our sport, and we will continue to invest in our monitoring and investigative functions to protect it."
Reactions and the Path Forward for Tennis
The tennis world has reacted with a mixture of dismay at the extent of the corruption and support for the ITIA's actions. A spokesperson for the ATP Tour stated, "We fully support the work of the ITIA. Protecting the integrity of tennis is a shared responsibility, and these rulings demonstrate the importance of a robust, independent integrity body." Similar statements of support were issued by the WTA and the ITF.
However, the case has also sparked renewed debate about the structure of the professional game. Advocates for player welfare argue that the financial precarity at the lower levels of the sport creates the conditions that corruption can exploit. Calls for increasing prize money at ITF-level tournaments and providing better financial and educational support for young professionals have grown louder in the wake of this scandal.
The bans are effective immediately. Jorge Brian Panta and the four officials are prohibited from playing in, attending, or officiating at any tennis event authorized or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis. The suspended portions of their fines will only become payable if they commit a further breach of the TACP. For the sport's administrators, the message is clear: vigilance must be relentless. As the ITIA concluded in its release, "The fight against corruption is continuous. Today's outcome is a victory for integrity, but the work does not stop here."