Independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer finds former Italian player guilty of match-fixing and associated offences
Former Italian tennis player Potito Starace has been banned from any future involvement in the sport for 10 years and fined $100,000 USD, after being found guilty of match-fixing and associated offences.
The case against Mr Starace, 37, was adjudicated by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Prof Richard H McLaren and based on an investigation by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU).
In a decision announced today, which follows a disciplinary Hearing held in London on 18-19 September, Prof McLaren found him guilty of match-fixing offences relating to the ATP 500 World Tour tournament played in Barcelona, Spain in April 2011.
He was also found to have facilitated betting relating to the Barcelona match
The finding of guilt and imposition of the 10 years suspension, means that with immediate effect the now-retired Mr Starace is prohibited from attending any sanctioned events organised or recognised by the governing bodies of the sport.
The breaches of the 2011 Tennis Anti-Corruption Program he was found to have committed are as follows:
D.1.d No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, contrive or attempt to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of any Event.
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.
In October 2007 Mr Starace reached a career-best singles ranking of 27. His highest doubles ranking was 40 in June 2012.
The Tennis Integrity Unit is an initiative of the Grand Slam Board, the International Tennis Federation, the ATP and the WTA, who are jointly committed to a zero tolerance approach to corruption in tennis.
Published 21 November 2018 00:00
