Review coming of tennis’ anti-corruption group

The report indicated that the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) was not sufficiently handling suspicious cases; that it has allowed at least 16 top-50 players to continue playing with no recourse for potential match-fixing.

The tennis officials also called for match fixing to be made a “distinct criminal offense”.

Players have offered their advice on ways to improve and maintain the integrity of the sport.

Among the issues the panel is expected to examine is whether the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) needs additional resources to do its job, how it can improve transparency without compromising its investigations, and whether the sport needs to expand its integrity education programs.

“There are also ways for the French authorities to lockdown the use of offshore betting through the internet, so they have quite an interesting model, I think, in terms of trying to protect the integrity of sport”.

“I think it’s a joke to deal with it”, Hewitt said at the Australian Open.

“All of us, all seven bodies in our sport, believe that with everything in the news and the serious allegations that have been thrown at our sport, that the last thing anyone wants is another sports body investigating itself, which is why we have taken this very bold step to commission a completely independent review”.

Play video “Match Fixing In World Tennis?”

Kermode, head of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), said tennis was keen to address the problem and not go down the route of “other sports” which have become mired in controversy.

Tennis players at the Australian Open have said that corruption has no place in the sport but they also called for more proof that it exists, especially at higher levels where players aren’t short of cash.

Advertisements for William Hill – an official partner of the Australian Open – are being displayed in three areas during the tournament.

“It is vital we fix the damage and do so quickly which is why we have made a decision to announce the review”, Tennis Integrity Board chairman Philip Brook said.

Kermode on Wednesday said those allegations are “deeply unfair” – citing that suspicious betting activity is not a sure sign of match fixing. Brook, though, said the independent body wouldn’t have been commissioned if the BuzzFeed and BBC investigation didn’t come out. “Having the help and the opportunity to work with the police in a country, we think, is a really important part of the powers that the anti-corruption program could do with”. “I think they are just telling people what they want to hear”. “France is a good example, where in-play betting is illegal”, he said.

All comments that are posted on the beIN SPORTS website do not reflect beIN SPORTS opinion or vision. beIN SPORTS is not legally responsible for any inappropriate comments, users are exclusively responsible for comments they post and is described to be their personal opinion.

Just before the Aussie Open main draw kicked off 10 days ago, the BBC and BuzzFeed News published reports saying evidence of possible match-fixing had been brought to the TIU, but that years on, nothing had been done.