LONDON, May 10, 2024 (ITIA Press Release)

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) can today confirm sanctions for two tennis players under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

The sanctions are linked to a recently concluded criminal case involving a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium. Collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the leader of the syndicate, Grigor Sargsyan. Five other players related to the case had previously been sanctioned after failing to respond to ITIA charges in 2023.

Sanctions were imposed by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Professor Richard McLaren following a formal hearing held between 4-5 March 2024. The sanctions are effective from 4 April 2024.

Alejandro Mendoza Crespo, a 34-year-old Bolivian who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 741 in 2016, was issued the maximum penalty by AHO McLaren for committing 20 major offenses under the TACP, resulting in a lifetime ban from the sport and a $250,000 fine.

Mendoza was found by AHO McLaren to have “engaged in a continuous pattern of corruption” between 2016 and 2018, including initiating corruption offenses by encouraging other players to contrive the outcome of matches for financial gain.

Jorge Panta Herreros, a 28-year-old Peruvian with a career-high world singles ranking of 447 reached in 2022, has been suspended for three years and fined $10,000, having been found liable for four major offenses under the TACP, including contriving the outcome of two of their own matches over a period of two years. Panta’s suspension will end at midnight on 3 April 2027.

During their periods of ineligibility, Mendoza and Panta are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.