Tennis: three players sanctioned for match-fixing

Timur Khabibulin, Sanjar Fayziev and Igor Smilansky have been sanctioned and fined by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for having breached the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP)/ The decision was made by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Janie Soublière, who had previously upheld the ITIA charges against the three players for related match-fixing activity whilst sanctions were considered.

Timur Khabibulin (Kazakhstan), who had a highest ATP doubles ranking of 154, has been banned from the sport for life and fined $60,000. He was found liable for 21 individual charges relating to match fixing between 2014 and 2019. Sanjar Fayziev (Uzbekistan), who also had a highest ATP doubles ranking of 154, has been banned for three years and six months (with six months suspended) and fined $15,000. He was found liable for five charges relating to two matches in 2018. Igor Smilansky (Israel) who had a highest ATP singles ranking of 451, was found liable for three charges relating to one match in 2018. He has been banned for two years with a $4,000 fine, with $1,000 suspended. The sanctions will begin from the date of the players’ provisional suspensions on 25 July 2023 which means Sanjar Fayziev will be suspended until 24 July 2026 and Igor Smilansky will be suspended until 24 July 2025, subject to their fines being paid or repayment schemes agreed.

During such period for both players, and permanently for Timur Khabibulin, they are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorized or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or any national association.