The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has today confirmed that Petru-Alexandru Luncanu, a 34-year-old tennis player from Romania, has been suspended from the sport for five years after multiple breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
The case was considered by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Raj Parker, who upheld five of seven charges brought by the ITIA for match-fixing activity in 2017 and 2021, as well as an additional charge of failing to co-operate fully with the ITIA’s investigation in 2022.
It was determined by AHO Parker that Luncanu, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 304 in 2009, had breached the TACP by contriving the outcome or any other aspect of several matches, and directly or indirectly facilitating tennis wagering.
AHO Parker also found that the Player failed to co-operate fully with the ITIA investigation by withdrawing consent for their mobile phone to be analysed when requested by an ITIA investigator.
Luncanu, who denied all of the charges, will be prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis until 8 June 2028. The Player has also been fined $40,000.
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.
Notes for editors
The specific sections of the TACP breached by Luncanu are referenced below:
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 or any other company or entity directly affiliated with a tennis betting company; and appearing in commercials encouraging others to bet on tennis.
D.1.d. No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, contrive or attempt to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of any Event.
F.2.b. All Covered Persons must cooperate fully with investigations conducted by the ITIA including giving evidence at hearings, if requested. Even in the case where a Covered Person is represented by a legal counsel, the Covered Person is still personally responsible for ensuring that they cooperate fully with the investigation. The Covered Person shall be deemed not to have cooperated if the Covered Person’s legal counsel interferes with an ITIA investigation. A Covered Person’s failure to comply with any Demand, preserve evidence related to any Corruption Offense or otherwise cooperate fully with investigations conducted by the ITIA, may result in an adverse factual inference against the Covered Person in any matter referred to an AHO.
Published 16 June 2023 12:00
