ITIA Quarterly Update

Senior Director, Anti-Doping appointed

In May, the ITIA confirmed that Nicole Sapstead, current CEO of UK Anti-Doping, will join the organisation in September 2021. She will have responsibility for leading the sport’s worldwide anti-doping programme, which is due to come under the auspices of the ITIA from 1 January 2022.

She will join the ITIA after 12 years at UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), the last six as CEO.

Full story here: https://www.itia.tennis/news/itia-news/nicole-sapstead-senior-director-for-anti-doping/

Sanctions

Four players were sanctioned in the second quarter of 2021:

Barbora Palcatova of Slovakia was banned for three years (with 15 months suspended) and fined $5,000 (with $3,500 suspended)

https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/slovakian-tennis-player-banned/

Franco Feitt of Argentina was given a lifetime ban and fined $25,000

https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/franco-feitt-banned-from-tennis-for-life/

Roman Khassanov of Kazakhstan was banned for 10 years and fined $100,000 (with $75,000 suspended)

https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/khazakhstan-player-banned/

Carlos Andrés Sepúlveda Navarro was banned for three years and fined $10,000 (with $8,000 suspended)

https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/carlos-andres-sepulveda-navarro-banned/

In addition, a number of provisional suspensions were confirmed pending further investigations or hearings:

Nicolás Arreche (Argentina) - https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/nicolas-arreche-provisionally-suspended/

Romain Barbosa, Arthur de Greef and Alex Witmeur (all Belgium) - https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/three-belgians-provisionally-suspended/

Betting alerts

Between April and June 2021, the ITIA received a total of 11 match alerts through its confidential Memoranda of Understanding with the regulated betting industry. No alerts were received at the French Open.

*NOTE: these figures do not include The Championships, Wimbledon which will be reported in Q3.

A note about match alerts:

Every alert reported to the ITIA is recorded, assessed and followed up as an indicator that something inappropriate may have happened. It is important to note that an alert on its own is not evidence of match fixing.

Unusual betting patterns can occur for many reasons other than match fixing – for example incorrect odds-setting; well-informed betting; player fitness, fatigue or form; playing conditions and personal circumstances.

Number and distribution of alerts are reported quarterly. Care should be taken in drawing any conclusions about prevailing corruption across the tennis ‘pyramid’ as there are many more matches at the bottom than at the top. More complete analysis is published in our annual report.

Where analysis of a match alert does suggest corrupt activity, the ITIA conducts a full, confidential investigation.

Education

Prevention and education is a core element of the ITIA’s work – particularly when it comes to the future generation of professional tennis players.

With travel restrictions still in place, the ITIA Education team continued to focus on delivering online sessions with players, coaches and officials.

This quarter, in partnership with the International Tennis Federation, the team have been delivering training sessions for some of the young South American players receiving Grand Slam Development Fund support as well as the teams competing in the regional qualification events for the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals, Junior Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup in Africa and North and Central America.

https://www.itia.tennis/news/itia-news/next-generation/