On January 31, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) suspended six players in connection with a match-fixing syndicate headed by Grigor Sargsyan. Among the banned players are Jerome Inzerillo, David Guez, Romain Bauvy, Yannick Jankovits, François-Arthur Vibert, and Agustin Moyano. Sargsyan was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to five years in prison, but investigations are ongoing as the ITIA seeks to identify additional participants.
Five of the suspended players admitted to charges linked to matches from 2017 and 2018. Inzerillo, who achieved a career-high world singles ranking of 354 in July 2012, received a ban of five years and seven months, valid until May 2030, as well as a fine totaling $50,000, with $35,000 suspended.
Guez, who peaked at a world ranking of 116 in July 2010, faces a four-year suspension until October 2024 and a fine of $25,000, with $17,500 suspended. Bauvy received the same sanctions and will be banned until November 2028; he reached a career-high world doubles rank of 758 in March 2016.
The other three players—Jankovits, Vibert, and Moyano—initially resisted the ITIA charges. Jankovits, whose highest ranking was 226 in September 2015, will be suspended until October 2026 and fined $28,000, with $21,000 suspended. Vibert, who reached a singles ranking of 591 in September 2021, will be banned until September 2026, facing a $35,000 fine with part of it suspended.
Moyano, an Argentine player who denied the allegations and sought a hearing, received a significantly harsher penalty: a 15-year ban and a $10,000 fine, making him ineligible to compete until December 2039. All six players are barred from participating in or attending any ITIA-sanctioned tennis events.
The ITIA's efforts to combat match-fixing have intensified since Sargsyan's sentencing nearly two years ago. In total, 16 players have been banned due to their involvement with the syndicate, including those convicted by a Belgian court. Notable banned players from Belgium include Arnaud Graisse, Arthur de Greef, and Julien Dubail. In addition to the recent suspensions, Alejandro Mendoza Crespo received a maximum 20-year ban, Jorge Panta Herreros was suspended for three years, and French player Leny Mitjanam received a 10-year ban for corruption-related offenses. Tunisian Anis Ghorbel was also banned for three years for fixing matches in 2016 and 2017.
