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

Shahida Jacobs 10 Nov 2023 1:29 PM

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has continued its crackdown on match-fixing as it has announced that seven Belgian tennis players have been suspended for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

Arnaud Graisse, Arthur de Greef, Julien Dubail, Romain Barbosa, Maxime Authom, Omar Salman, and Alec Witmeur were found guilty by a criminal court and have now been handed various bans by the ITIA.

The bans came on the back of the collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities that resulted in the five-year custodial sentence for match-fixing syndicate leader Grigor Sargsyan.

Witmeur, de Greef and Barbosa have been suspended by an AHO since May 2021 after they were formally charged in the criminal process in Belgium and their bans range from two years and seven months to three years and nine months.

The time served during their provisional suspension will be credited against their periods of ineligibility.

Witmeur admitted to six breaches of the TACP, while de Greef and Barbosa both admitted to nine breaches.

A statement from ITIA listed the trio’s bans as follows:

– Arthur de Greef, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 113 in 2017, has been suspended for three years and nine months, and fined $45,000 with $31,500 suspended. De Greef’s suspension ends on 26 February 2025.

– Romain Barbosa, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 403 in 2016, has been suspended for three years and nine months, and fined $45,000 – with $31,500 suspended. Barbosa’s suspension ends on 26 February 2025.

– Alec Witmeur, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1056 in 2011, has been suspended for two years and seven months, and fined $30,000 – with $21,000 suspended. Witmeur’s suspension ends on 26 December 2023

The suspensions of the other four players – Graisse (12 breaches), Dubail (nine breaches), Salman (six breaches) and Authom (six breaches) range from four years and 10 months to two years and seven months.

The four players’ bans are as follows:

– Arnaud Graisse, unranked, has been suspended for four years and 10 months, and fined $60,000 – with $42,000 suspended. Graisse’s suspension began on 2 October 2023, and will end on 1 August 2028.
– Julien Dubail, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 371 in 2012, has been suspended for three years and nine months, and fined $45,000 – with $31,500 suspended. Dubail’s suspension began on 4 October 2023, and will end on 3 July 2027.
– Maxime Authom, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 143 in 2013, has been suspended for three years and nine months, and fined $30,000 – with $21,000 suspended. Authom’s suspension began on 28 October 2023 and will end on 27 July 2027.
– Omar Salman, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 464 in 2018, has been suspended for two years and seven months, and fined $30,000 – with $21,000 suspended. Salman’s suspension began on 9 October 2023, and will end on 8 May 2026.

The seven players will be 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 during their bans.