The International Tennis Integrity Agency can today confirm that players Nastja Kolar and Alexandra Riley have been banned from the sport for life and handed significant fines following multiple breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
Independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Ian Mill KC determined that Kolar, from Slovenia, and Riley, from the USA, had committed 25 and 15 offenses between 2015 and 2020. The pair had been provisionally suspended since March 2023 pending a decision on sanctions.
Given the depth and significance of these breaches, which included contriving aspects of matches, wagering, facilitating wagering, courtsiding, conspiracy, and failing to report corrupt approaches, Kolar has been fined $175,000, and Riley $50,000.
The fine imposed on Kolar is close to the maximum $250,000 penalty for breaches of the TACP, reflecting, in the words of AHO Mill, “corruption offenses of the highest order of severity over an extended period of time,” alongside noting that neither player showed any contrition or remorse for their actions.
Kolar, whose career WTA rankings peaked inside the top 200 for both singles and doubles, was found to have contrived aspects of six matches in which they participated, as well as conspiring with Riley to contrive aspects of four of their matches. This was in addition to wagering on tennis, facilitating wagering through courtsiding, and failing to report Corrupt Offenses by Riley, whose WTA singles ranking reached its highest point of 691 in 2015.
Riley, meanwhile, was found to have contrived aspects of five matches they participated in, alongside facilitating wagering on matches in which they competed, facilitating wagering by courtsiding, failing to preserve evidence, and failing to report Corrupt Offenses by Kolar.
The sanction is effective from 14 March 2023 - the date Kolar and Riley were suspended.
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.
Published 21 June 2023 12:00
