The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Bolivian tennis official Percy Flores has been suspended from the sport for 12 years and issued a $15,000 fine for multiple breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
Flores, a white badge umpire who did not contest the ITIA’s charges, was found to have committed 31 breaches of the TACP between November 2021 and October 2022. The breaches included routine manipulation of scores for betting purposes – by purposely entering the wrong score into the umpire’s handheld device – at ITF World Tennis Tour events and soliciting another official to engage in corrupt conduct.
Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Professor Richard McLaren determined that Flores’ breaches of the TACP merited a sanction of 15 years in accordance with sanctioning guidelines, but applied a reduction of three years’ suspension due to mitigating circumstances – including the umpire’s early admission of the charges and general good conduct during the investigative process.
The suspension was backdated to the start of Flores’ provisional suspension on 8 December 2022 and will end on 7 December 2034. During this time Flores is prohibited from officiating at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis.
The ITIA is an independent body established by the International Governing Bodies of Tennis to promote, encourage, enhance and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
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Ends
Notes for editors:
Flores was found to have breached the following clauses of the 2021 and 2022 TACP (though the offenses occurred across two editions of the TACP, the wording of the clauses breached remained unchanged between 2021 and 2022):
10 counts D.1.b. No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, facilitate, encourage and/or promote Tennis Betting (“Facilitation”).
Nine counts D.1.m. No Covered Person shall:
D.1.m.i. purposely delay or manipulate entry of score(s) or scoring data from any Event for any reason; or
D.1.m.ii. directly or indirectly, offer, provide, or accept any money, benefit or Consideration for the delay or manipulation of score(s) or scoring data from any Event.
D.2.b. Related Persons and Tournament Support Personnel.
10 counts D.2.b.i. In the event any Related Person or Tournament Support Person is approached by any person who requests the Related Person or Tournament Support Person to (i) influence or attempt to influence the outcome of any aspect of any Event, or (ii) provide Inside Information, it shall be the Related Person’s or Tournament Support Person’s obligation to report such incident to the ITIA as soon as possible, even if no money, benefit or Consideration is offered or discussed.
One count D.2.b.ii. In the event any Related Person or Tournament Support Person knows or suspects that any Covered Person or other individual has committed a Corruption Offense, it shall be the Related Person’s or Tournament Support Person’s obligation to report such knowledge or suspicion to the ITIA as soon as possible.
One count D.1.o. No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, facilitate or incite any other person to commit, attempt, agree or conspire to commit any Corruption Offense.
Published 28 July 2023 12:00
