The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirms that five tennis players have been sanctioned for violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
The sanctions are linked to a recently concluded criminal case involving a match-fixing ring in Belgium. Collaboration between the ITIA and the Belgian authorities led to a five-year prison sentence for the union leader, Grigor Sargsyan.
The sanctions were imposed by the Independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO), Professor Richard McLaren, after all five players failed to contest the ITIA's charges against them, either at all or within the deadlines set by the TACP. Sanctions for all of the following players took effect on September 30, 2023.
The Mexican Alberto Rojas Maldonado, who achieved his best ATP singles ranking in 2015 (992), was found to have committed 92 TACP violations – the second-highest number of violations for a single individual – and played a key role in the corruption of others players. As a result, the player was banned from the sport for life and ordered to pay a maximum fine of $250.000.
The Guatemalan Christopher Díaz Figueroa, who achieved his best position in the ATP rankings with 2011 points in 326 and who had previously served a three-year suspension for match-fixing (with a one-year suspension), has now been banned from the sport for life and fined $75.000 for 13 other TACP violations, including match fixing and facilitation of betting.
The Mexican José Antonio Rodríguez Rodríguez, who achieved his best position in the ATP singles rankings in 2017 (1367), was found guilty of committing eight TACP violations, including match-fixing and betting facilitation. AHO McLaren found that Rodríguez acted in concert with Maldonado to make “significant financial gain”. The player was suspended for 12 years and ordered to pay a fine of $25.001. Rodríguez's suspension will end on September 29, 2035.
The Mexican Antonio Ruiz Rosales, who achieved his best ATP singles ranking in 2008 (652), was suspended for 10 years and fined $30.000 for seven TACP violations, including match-fixing and betting facilitation. Ruiz's suspension will end on September 29, 2033.
The Mexican Orlando Alcantara Rangel, who achieved his best position in the ATP singles rankings in 2015 (1735), was suspended for two years and fined $10.000 for two TACP violations. Alcántara's suspension will end on September 29, 2025.
During the suspensions, players are prohibited from playing, coaching or participating in any tennis events sanctioned or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or by any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its members to promote, encourage, improve and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis throughout the world.
