LONDON — In a significant crackdown on corruption within tennis, a low-ranked French player has been sentenced to a lifetime ban, while four others face suspensions ranging from two to ten years due to their involvement in match-fixing tied to a Belgian syndicate, as reported by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Friday.
In total, over 60 current and former players have faced penalties for their affiliations with Grigor Sargsyan, the mastermind of the operation who had previously been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in this scandal.
Yannick Thivant, aged 38, has received a lifetime ban along with a hefty fine of $75,000 after confessing to fixing 22 matches—16 of which he played—in the period between 2017 and 2018. Thivant peaked at a ranking of 590th in 2015, marking a challenging trajectory in his career.
Thomas Setodji, who is 29 years old, has been handed a 10-year ban and fined $20,000 after being found guilty of tampering with three matches in 2017 and for neglecting to report a corruption approach the following year. Setodji’s highest world ranking was No. 794 last year.
Thomas Brechemier, 28, faces a suspension of 7.5 years and a financial penalty after admitting to manipulating 11 matches during 2017 and 2018. His top ranking came in 2017, when he reached No. 399.
Gabriel Petit, also 29, has been banned for 6.5 years and fined after not responding to the ITIA’s charges, which the agency interprets as an admission of guilt. Petit, who peaked at No. 450 in the rankings in 2018, was implicated in fixing seven matches in 2017 and 2018.
Hugo Daubias, at 28 years old, received a two-year suspension and a fine of $15,000 after confessing to fixing two matches in 2017. Daubias reached a career-high ranking of 972nd the same year.
