An investigation by BuzzFeed News and the BBC details evidence of widespread match fixing at major tennis tournaments. The report focused on 16 players (who have ranked in the top 50) that have played in matches that had highly suspicious betting patterns.
The investigation does not name any of the suspected cheaters, “because without access to phone, bank, or computer records it is not possible to prove a link between the players and the gamblers.”
The details, via ESPN:
Tennis authorities were first warned after a 2008 investigation into the sport found evidence of suspected match fixing at major tournaments including Wimbledon. The match fixing was allegedly orchestrated by gambling syndicates in Russia and Italy and involved prominent players. Since then, according to the report, authorities have been repeatedly warned about a core group of 16 players, all of whom have been ranked in the top 50. None of the players has faced sanctions, and more than half will play in this year’s Australian Open.
The report does not name the players whose matches have been tagged for attracting suspicious betting because a direct link between the players and gamblers isn’t proven. But according to the report, the players suspected include a U.S. Open champion and doubles winners at Wimbledon, who have repeatedly been reported for losing matches when highly suspicious bets were placed against them. Also on the list is a top-50 player competing in the Australian Open who has been suspected of repeatedly fixing his first set.
The players were targeted in hotel rooms at major tournaments and offered $50,000 or more per fix, according to the report. Gambling syndicates in Russia and Italy, meanwhile, made thousands of dollars placing what the report characterizes as “highly suspicious bets” on scores of matches, including some at Wimbledon and the French Open.
The reports are quite extensive, so much so that I won’t even begin to try to break them down here. Read them at BuzzFeed and BBC.
