An international investigation into match-fixing in tennis is underway. Seven people have already been arrested, and more arrests are expected. According to the investigation, bribery is more common among lower-ranked and younger players.
Commissioner-General Stéphane Piallat, head of the French police’s racing and gambling investigation unit, commented on the investigation. “We are talking about young, lower-ranked players who can be bought for very little money, either because they can’t make a living from the sport or because, at that age, it’s difficult to resist the allure of easy money.”
According to economist and match-fixing researcher David Forrest, it’s understandable that players who don’t earn high salaries would be approached about match-fixing. This makes recent cases involving highly paid NBA and MLB players more difficult to understand.
Tennis players ranked well below the ATP Top 100 are the ones who suffer the most harassment. One player, arrested in October, stated that he was initially offered €500 (US$580). He refused, but the criminal group increased the amount: €700, €1,000, €2,000. At €5,000 ($5,800), he accepted.
Another tennis player, also detained, said he got involved after losing positions in the rankings. He had to deal with loan payments, expenses for traveling to tournaments, and the expectation of appearing successful.
Interference in at least 45 games
Investigations revealed that the gang interfered in at least 45 tennis matches between 2018 and 2024. According to the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, this generated illicit gains from bets of at least €800,000 (US$931,000).
Of the seven detained, five are French, one is Romanian, and one is Bulgarian, and all are between 23 and 29 years old. Three have been identified as French tennis players, but have not been publicly named.
It is unclear whether they are among the players that the Tennis Integrity International Agency (ITIA) suspended earlier this year. The ITIA banned the following players:
- Yannick Thivant – received a lifetime ban and a $75,000 fine, he admitted to match-fixing in 22 games
- Thomas Brechemier — suspended for 7.5 years and fined US$40,000, he admitted involvement in 11 matches
- Gabriel Petit – suspended for 6.5 years and fined US$35,000, he did not respond to the charges
- Thomas Setodji – suspended for 10 years and fined US$20,000, he admitted to interfering in 3 matches and failing to report a corrupt approach
- Hugo Daubias —suspended for two years and fined US$15,000, he admitted to manipulating two matches
Furthermore, reports have identified former Bulgarian tennis players Karen Khachatryan, Juri Khachatryan, Dilyan Yanev, and Anzhel Yanev as part of the group.
ITIA banned the Khachatryan brothers in 2020 after the players participated in match-fixing and approached other players to do the same on behalf of the gang.
Players worldwide under investigation.
The ongoing investigation has identified occurrences worldwide, including tournaments in Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Laurence Monnier-Saillol, lawyer for one of those facing charges, told the newspaper Le Monde that more athletes will be punished in the case. “The investigation is not concluded; there are international ramifications beyond my client.”
Thus, investigators have been examining videos to identify suspicious incidents during matches. “But it’s not enough to watch a single point, or even a match. Video analysis can highlight doubt, not certainty. You need to support it with other investigative elements,” said Piallat.
Prosecutor Jean-Yves Lourgouilloux also commented: “Behind what may seem like an insignificant fraud in an unbelievable match, there are cases of international corruption with far-reaching ramifications and financial gain for these criminal networks, and that is why we need to pay closer attention.”
What measures can be taken?
Lourgouilloux urged tennis authorities to investigate the cases more thoroughly to uncover the criminal groups responsible for match-fixing. “Sports authorities need to realize that suspending players when there are suspicions isn’t enough. The nets need to be broken, because they will always find another player to replace the one who was caught.”
Amid the betting scandals in the US, lawmakers have also urged sports leagues to do more to crack down on match-fixing. MLB said it will assist prosecutors by providing documents to aid in investigations into the games involving Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase.
Thus, tennis is the second sport, behind only football, in the number of alerts regarding suspicious betting activity. Therefore, the French gaming regulator stated that “those who try to manipulate the sport are increasingly targeting lower-level competitions” and “no sport is immune.”
