By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, November 10, 2023
Seven Belgian gamers have been suspended from tennis after a collection of convictions in a Belgian match-fixing syndicate.
The suspensions stem from a lately concluded felony case involving a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium.
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Collaboration between the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the chief of the syndicate, Grigor Sargsyan.
All seven gamers—Arnaud Graisse, Arthur de Greef (pictured above), Julien Dubail, Romain Barbosa, Maxime Authom, Omar Salman, and Alec Witmeur—have been convicted by the felony courtroom and have subsequently agreed sanctions, the ITIA introduced right now.
Three gamers—Witmeur, de Greef and Barbosa—have been provisionally suspended by an AHO since Might 2021 once they have been formally charged within the felony course of in Belgium, as they have been lively gamers at the moment.
Time served below provisional suspension can be credited in opposition to these gamers’ intervals of ineligibility.
Witmeur admitted to 6 breaches of the TACP, whereas de Greef and Barbosa each admitted to 9 breaches.
The ITIA introduced their sanctions are as follows:
Arthur de Greef, who reached a career-high ATP singles rating of 113 in 2017, has been suspended for 3 years and 9 months, and fined $45,000 with $31,500 suspended. De Greef’s suspension ends on February 26, 2025.
Romain Barbosa, who reached a career-high ATP singles rating of 403 in 2016, has been suspended for 3 years and 9 months, and fined $45,000 – with $31,500 suspended. Barbosa’s suspension ends on February 26, 2025.
Alec Witmeur, who reached a career-high ATP singles rating of 1056 in 2011, has been suspended for 2 years and 7 months, and fined $30,000 – with $21,000 suspended. Witmeur’s suspension ends on December 26, 2023
For the remaining 4 gamers – Graisse (12 breaches), Dubail (9 breaches), Salman (six breaches) and Authom (six breaches) – the sanctions take impact from the date of their agreed sanction.
Their sanctions are as follows:
Arnaud Graisse, unranked, has been suspended for 4 years and 10 months, and fined $60,000 – with $42,000 suspended. Graisse’s suspension started on October 2, 2023, and can finish on August 1, 2028.
Julien Dubail, who reached a career-high ATP singles rating of 371 in 2012, has been suspended for 3 years and 9 months, and fined $45,000 – with $31,500 suspended. Dubail’s suspension started on October 4, 2023, and can finish on July 3, 2027.
Maxime Authom, who reached a career-high ATP singles rating of 143 in 2013, has been suspended for 3 years and 9 months, and fined $30,000 – with $21,000 suspended. Authom’s suspension started on October 28, 2023 and can finish on July 27, 2027.
Omar Salman, who reached a career-high ATP singles rating of 464 in 2018, has been suspended for 2 years and 7 months, and fined $30,000 – with $21,000 suspended. Salman’s suspension started on October 9, 2023, and can finish on Might 8, 2026.
These sanctions conclude ITIA proceedings in opposition to Belgian gamers in relation to the Sargsyan match-fixing ring, although syndicate circumstances referring to gamers from outdoors Belgium stay ongoing.
Picture credit score: Tatiana M/Wikimedia Commons
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