The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has today confirmed that Chilean tennis player Bárbara Gatica Avilés has been banned from the sport for three years after admitting breaking the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) rules.
The case was ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Raj Parker and the sanction means that Gatica Avilés is prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis for a period of three years, starting on 9 December 2022 until 8 December 2025. In addition, the player was fined $5,000.
The charges relate to a match in 2016, which Gatica admitted losing deliberately in return for payment.
26 year-old Gatica Avilés, who has a highest WTA ranking of 158 was found guilty of the following breaches of the 2016 TACP:
Section D.1.d: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, contrive or attempt to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of any Event.”
Section D.1.b: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit or facilitate any other person to wager on the outcome or any other aspect of any Event or any other tennis competition. For the avoidance of doubt, to solicit or facilitate to wager shall include, but not be limited to: display of live tennis betting odds on a Covered Person website; writing articles for a tennis betting publication or website; conducting personal appearances for a tennis betting company; and appearing in commercials encouraging others to bet on tennis.”
Section D.1.f: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit or accept any money, benefit or Consideration with the intention of negatively influencing a Player's best efforts in any Event.”
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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Published 15 December 2022 15:45
