Argentine racquet wielder Nicolas Arreche received a four-year suspension from competitive tennis due to his participation in match manipulation. Arreche, whose highest ATP singles position reached 567, was deemed culpable of breaching the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program regulations on two distinct instances spanning 2017 to 2019. He engaged in rigging or attempting to rig the results of numerous tennis contests.
Distinguished sports legal expert Professor Richard McLaren presided over the proceedings and imposed a prohibition that bars Arreche from competing in or being present at any tennis function authorized or endorsed by the sport’s regulatory authorities. This exclusion will persist until April 23, 2025.
This judgment comes on the heels of a comparable case the previous month where Mexican tennis athlete Mauricio Astorga was similarly declared culpable of match manipulation. Astorga was handed a three-year suspension and a financial penalty.
These instances underscore the escalating apprehension within the tennis realm regarding match-fixing, a problem that has troubled the sport in recent times.
From 2018 to 2020, a wave of match-fixing controversies rocked the tennis community, resulting in the expulsion of five athletes. These weren’t the first instances of such claims. Nikolay Davydenko, a one-time top-ranked player, faced comparable charges in 2008, forcing him to defend his reputation.
Further raising concerns, questionable wagering activities, especially surrounding prestigious events like Wimbledon, surfaced in 2016. This time, allegations pointed to the involvement of gambling rings, some purportedly linked to Italy and Russia. The subsequent inquiry was extensive, examining a massive 26,000 contests.
