Two tennis players found guilty of match-fixing by the ITIA

Two Algerian tennis players have been banned from the sport as the result of investigations into match-fixing.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has put in place a lifetime ban for Mohamed Hassan, and a two-year ban for Houria Boukholda (with 18 months suspended).

Additionally, Hassan was fined $12,100 and Boukholda fined $10,000 (with $9,000 suspended). There were reportedly several incidents of this illegal activity since 2016. 

Breaching the following Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP) 27-year-old Hassan, who had a highest ATP ranking of 1476, was found guilty of 29 offences relating to seven matches between 2016 and 2018.

Whereas 20-year-old Boukholda was found guilty of 15 offences relating to five matches in 2017 and 2018. 

“Due to Boukholda’s age and inexperience at the time of the offences, it was determined that the player was influenced by Hassan and was therefore given a more lenient sanction,” the ITIA stated. “Evidence of the offences came to light as part of ongoing law enforcement investigations in Belgium.”

The cases were ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer, Janie Soublière, and the sanctions mean that both players are prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis. 

The organisation noted that neither player engaged with the process or responded to the charges.