Players accused of match-fixing respond to allegations

News
Aslan Karatsev on the move

Georgia’s Nikolaz Basilashvili and Russia’s Aslan Karatsev are reportedly being investigated for possible involvement in match-fixing.

German publication ZDF has levelled the accusations in an exposé.

According to ZDF, both players have been questioned by French police in connection with unusual betting patterns on their matches.

Belarussian coach Yegor Yatsyk is also believed to be central to the investigation.

Karatsev’s father Kazbek has admitted that he is aware that the coach is under investigation.

Kazbek reacted with disbelief when confronted with the allegation that his son might be involved in match-fixing.

“This is the first time I hear about it. This simply cannot be. I know that Yatsyk was already suspected of fixed matches in 2020. But what about Aslan? They haven’t worked together for over a year,” Kazbek told RIA Novosti.

“I don’t even know where such information could come from, it became interesting to myself. Maybe some kind of provocation. But Aslan is very calm, he does not bother anyone. I haven’t been able to talk to him about this yet. He has a tournament now, and before the games we usually do not call each other so that he is less worried.”

Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) president Shamil Tarpischev has dismissed the allegations as tabloid fabrications.

“Funny situation. If there is something official, then it can be discussed. And so, this is a tabloid chronicle, it’s even ridiculous to discuss, you never know who says what. And besides, this is 2019-2020, if there was something, we would have been informed long ago. And no one told us anything,” Tarpischev told Sport Express.

Both Karatsev and Basilashvili have both rubbished the claims in terse statements.

“I haven’t heard anything about it. I don’t know what you are talking about,” Karatsev told Russian publication Metaratings.

Speaking in an interview with Georgian website Europop, Basilashvili said that he doesn’t need to answer the accusations.

“And should I comment on this nonsense? How many times have they written such things about me, have I ever been convicted?” He said.

The Belarussian Tennis Federation have distanced themselves from Yatsyk.

“I would like to note that Yegor Yatsyk, the former mentor of Karatsev, is not a member of the Belarusian Tennis Federation. As a former athlete, I condemn the actions of athletes in any sport related to match-fixing and betting. I share the position of the authorities of all countries in the world that are fighting this evil,” BTF chairman Sergei Rutenko told rt.com.

Aslan Karatsev Nikoloz Basilashvili

Latest