Belgian Tennis Players Suspended for Match-Fixing

Seven tennis players from Belgium were found guilty of being involved in match-fixing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

The ITIA suspended Arnaud Graisse, Arthur de Greef, Julien Dubail, Romain Barbosa, Maxime Authom, Omar Salman, and Alec Witmeur. Their suspensions vary from two to four years.

Among those suspended were Arthur de Greef, who was ranked 113th in 2017, and Romain Barbosa, previously ranked 403rd in ATP in 2016. They’ve been suspended until February 26, 2025, and fined $45,000, with a portion suspended.

Alec Witmeur, who held a ranking of 1056th in 2011, was suspended until December 26, 2023, and fined $30,000, part of which was suspended. These three players had previous suspensions, which were factored into their penalties.

Arnaud Graisse, who wasn’t ranked, received a suspension until August 1, 2028, and a $60,000 fine, with a portion suspended.

Julien Dubail, ranked 371st in 2012, was suspended until July 3, 2027, with a $45,000 fine, part of which was suspended.

Maxime Authom ranked 143rd in 2013, faced a similar suspension period with a $30,000 fine, part of which was suspended.

Omar Salman ranked 464th in 2018, received a two-year and seven-month suspension until May 8, 2026, and a $30,000 fine, part of which was suspended.

These players admitted involvement in a large fraud case led by Grigor Sargsyan, 32, who was sentenced to five years in prison. Sargsyan’s network, based in Brussels, made considerable profits by fixing at least 375 tennis matches.

Due to time constraints, the tennis players and most other suspects accepted guilt before the tribunal. The investigation showed that between 2014 and 2018, the group bribed professional tennis players to manipulate match outcomes for betting purposes.

Six other members of the gang received prison sentences of up to three years and fines of up to €8,000, with over €10 million in confiscations.