ITIA sanctions more tennis players over Belgian match-fixing case

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has imposed significant sanctions on five players linked to a Belgian match-fixing syndicate.

Yannick Thivant, Thomas Brechemier, Gabriel Petit, Thomas Setodji, and Hugo Daubias have each received bans or suspensions from professional tennis. According to the ITIA’s announcement on Friday, these players committed corruption offenses during the years 2017 and 2018.

These sanctions are part of an ongoing investigation tied to a notorious match-fixing syndicate orchestrated by Grigor Sargsyan, who was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison in 2023. Although Sargsyan’s case has concluded, the ITIA remains steadfast in its pursuit of others involved, resulting in further disciplinary actions against numerous players.

Lifetime Ban Imposed on Yannick Thivant

Among the sanctioned, Yannick Thivant, aged 38, faces the harshest penalty: a lifetime ban from the sport. Anti-corruption hearing officer Richard McLaren stated that Thivant’s infractions necessitated “the most serious sanctions.” Thivant, whose highest career ranking peaked at 590 in September 2015, admitted to fixing 22 matches within the span of 2017 and 2018, including 16 of his own matches. In addition to the lifetime ban, he was fined $75,000 (£58,146/€68,144) and ordered to pay €37,400 in restitution.

Following him, Thomas Setodji, 29, received a ten-year suspension and a fine of $20,000, along with €5,500 in restitution for his involvement in match-fixing. The ITIA reported that Setodji was guilty of fixing three matches in 2017 and failing to report a corrupt approach in 2018. Setodji’s highest career ranking occurred in July 2024 when he reached 794, but he will not be eligible to compete again until after March 31, 2035.

Lengthy Suspensions for Additional Players

Thomas Brechemier, 28, was suspended for seven years and six months, effective from February 12 of this year through August 11, 2032. He admitted during the investigation to having fixed 11 matches between 2017 and 2018. Brechemier achieved a career-high ranking of 399 in August 2017 and faced a fine of $40,000, of which $27,500 was suspended.

Gabriel Petit, also 29, has been suspended for six years and six months, with an accompanying fine of $45,000. Notably, Petit did not respond to the charges, leading AHO Charles Hollander to conclude that he waived his right to a hearing and accepted liability for fixing seven matches during the same timeframe. Petit’s highest career ranking was 450, attained in December 2018, and he will remain ineligible to return to competition until September 2031.

Lastly, Hugo Daubias, aged 28, has been sentenced to a two-year suspension and a fine of $15,000. He admitted to having fixed two matches in 2017 and will not be eligible again until March 2027. His career-high world singles ranking was 972 in September 2017.

Initially, 16 players were sanctioned as part of this ongoing investigation, but with the continued unearthing of new evidence, additional players are progressively facing sanctions. This latest round of disciplinary actions follows a February incident where six players—Jerome Inzerillo, David Guez, Romain Bauvy, Yannick Jankovits, François-Arthur Vibert, and Agustin Moyano—were also banned from professional tennis.

This proactive approach by the ITIA highlights the organization’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of professional tennis, ensuring that corruption is met with strict consequences to uphold the sport’s credibility.