The Tennis Integrity Unit has denied speculations that they have failed to investigate on a group of players that other investigating bodies warned them about. Tennis players Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic also said that they haven't seen indication of corruption in the top level of the sport.
As reported by First Post, the sport's anti-corruption body, the Tennis Integrity Unit, has denied allegations that they failed to investigate on a group of 16 players that bookmakers, foreign police, and other investigating warned about.
None of the 16 players received any sanction in the past decade, and half of them are expected to be playing in the Australian Open in Melbourne. According to Business-Standard, some of the players involved are also Grand Slam champions.
Although its director, Nigel Willerton, declined to disclose whether the players in line to play in the Australian Open are being investigated, ATP President Chris Kermode strongly denied the rumors.
"The Tennis Integrity Unit and the tennis authorities absolutely reject any suggestion that evidence of match-fixing has been suppressed for any reason or isn't being thoroughly investigated", he said.
"And while the BBC and BuzzFeed reports mainly refer to events from about 10 years ago, we will investigate any new information, and we always do. In its investigations, the Tennis Integrity Unit has to find evidence as opposed to information, suspicion, or hearsay.", Kermode added.
The report by Buzzfeed and BBC stated that files were leaked containing details of an investigation in 2007 by the ATP. The probe also allegedly uncovered syndicates in Russia and Italy who made huge amount of money by betting on games that investigators think could be fixed.
As reported by Mail Online, Serbian Tennis player Novak Djokovic also stated that he is not aware of match fixing in the sport's top level. However, he explained that he was also previously offered to lose a first round match in St. Petersburg for £110,000.
Djokovic said that the offer was not directly given to him personally but rather to members of his team and was immediately denied. Meanwhile, Serena Williams also said that she has never seen any indication of match fixing in the game either.
The Tennis Integrity Unit was set up in 2008 to serve as the anti-corruption body of the sport. Kermode also stated that the unit had won 18 convictions, which includes 6 lifebans. He also stated that they are vigilant on the issue and has zero-tolerance policy on it.
