The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that four officials have been suspended from the sport for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
Three individuals – Lithuanian Edvinas Grigaitis, Georgian Givi Khudoiani, and Armenian Arsen Movsisyan – were sanctioned by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Janie Soublière, while Austrian official Manuel Sperger accepted an agreed sanction directly with the ITIA, having been convicted of match-fixing activity in an Austrian criminal court following collaboration between the ITIA and Austrian authorities.
Grigaitis, a national-level official, received a three-year suspension for four breaches of the TACP, including delaying or manipulating the entry of scoring data for betting purposes, facilitating wagering, and conspiring to commit offenses.
Alongside three major breaches of the TACP, Grigaitis was also charged with wagering on tennis matches they were not involved in. The suspension is effective from 15 December 2023, and will end at midnight on 14 December 2026.
Khudoiani and Movsisyan, national-level officials, were found by AHO Soublière to have collaborated on a scheme to manipulate scoring data from matches in 2019 and 2020 for betting purposes. Khudoiani was found liable for 15 TACP breaches, and Movsisyan was found liable for six.
Khudoiani was handed a 14-year suspension and a $25,000 fine, and Movsisyan received a five-year suspension. The pair have been provisionally suspended since 14 July 2021 - while the investigation and case proceeded - and time served under provisional suspension will be credited against their period of ineligibility. As such, Khudoiani’s suspension will end at midnight on 13 July 2035, and Movsisyan’s suspension will end at midnight on 13 July 2026.
Sperger, a national-level official, was the subject of match-fixing-related proceedings in a criminal court in Innsbruck, Austria, and admitted to manipulating scores in 2016 and 2017 for betting purposes.
The ITIA charged Sperger with 12 offenses under the TACP, including manipulating the entry of scoring data for betting purposes and facilitating wagering. Sperger admitted to the offenses and accepted an agreed sanction of seven years and six months’ suspension, waiving their right to a hearing before an independent AHO.
The suspension is effective from 18 December 2023 and will end at midnight on 17 June 2031. In addition to their suspension, Sperger has been fined $25,000, of which $18,750 is suspended.
During their suspensions, Grigaitis, Khudoiani, Movsisyan and Sperger are prohibited from officiating at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
Ends
Published 21 December 2023 15:00
