Philippoussis sanctioned having created promotional content for betting company

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has sanctioned Australian tennis coach Mark Philippoussis for breaching the sport’s betting sponsorship rules.  

The former top-10 ATP singles player and current professional coach has been fined $10,000 and issued with a four-month ban after receiving payment for providing a voiceover to promotional content for a gaming operator.  

The tennis body stated that Philippoussis ‘cooperated fully’ with the investigation and did not contest the charge. 

However, the suspension does not come into force unless there is a further breach of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP) during a four-month period, which started on 21 July 2023. 

The tennis body explained that as an accredited coach, Philippoussis is considered a ‘Covered Person’, meaning they are subject to the sport’s rules around relationships with betting operators. 

ITIA CEO, Karen Moorhouse, said: “As a sport, tennis has decided that accredited individuals should not have commercial relationships with betting companies given their potential ability to influence matches, access to inside information, and therefore the perception of such relationships. 

“Whilst this case is clearly not one of corruption, it is a rule that players, coaches, and others in the sport need to be aware of. 

“Our message to players and others covered by the TACP is that you can always talk to us if you are unsure of any rules, or are seeking clarity on any potential commercial arrangement. 

 “Preventing a breach before it occurs is always our preferred course of action, and players or covered persons can contact us at any time via our app, our social media accounts, or the contact form on our website.”