Five more players suspended as probe into match-fixing syndicate in Belgium continues

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The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) have confirmed that five tennis players have been sanctioned for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

An ITIA notice revealed that the sanctions are linked to a recently concluded criminal case involving a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium.

Collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the syndicate’s leader, Grigor Sargsyan.

The players were identified as Mexico’s Alberto Rojas Maldonado, JosĂ© Antonio RodrĂ­guez, Antonio Ruiz Rosales and Orlando AlcĂĄntara Rangel as well as Guatemala’s Christopher DĂ­az Figueroa.

Sanctions were imposed by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Professor Richard McLaren. His decision came after all five players failed to contest the ITIA’s charges against them, either at all or within the time limit set by the TACP.

All of the players’ sanctions began on 30 September 2023.

The ITIA decision read: “Mexican Alberto Rojas Maldonado, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 992 in 2015, was found to have committed 92 breaches of the TACP – the second-highest number of breaches for one individual – and played a pivotal role in the corruption of other players. As a result, the player was issued a lifetime ban from the sport and ordered to pay the maximum fine of $250,000.

“Guatemalan Christopher DĂ­az Figueroa, who reached an ATP career-high ranking of 326 in 2011 and previously served a three-year suspension for match-fixing (with one year suspended), has now been banned from the sport for life and fined $75,000 for 13 further TACP breaches, including match-fixing and the facilitation of wagering.

“Mexican JosĂ© Antonio RodrĂ­guez RodrĂ­guez, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1367 in 2017, was found to have committed eight breaches of the TACP, including match-fixing and the facilitation of wagering. AHO McLaren found that RodrĂ­guez acted in concert with Maldonado to realise “significant financial gain.” The player has been suspended for 12 years and ordered to pay a fine of $25,001. RodrĂ­guez’s suspension will end on 29 September 2035.

“Mexican Antonio Ruiz Rosales, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 652 in 2008, has been suspended for 10 years and fined $30,000 for seven breaches of the TACP, including match-fixing and the facilitation of wagering. Ruiz’s suspension will end on 29 September 2033.

“Mexican Orlando AlcĂĄntara Rangel, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1735 in 2015, has been suspended for two years and fined $10,000 for two breaches of the TACP. AlcĂĄntara’s suspension will end on 29 September 2025.

“During the players’ suspensions, they are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or any national association.”

READ MORE: Seven Belgian players banned for match-fixing in case linked to syndicate