Tennis: what is the Tennis Integrity Unit, body responsible for the fight against corruption? – The world

Le Monde | 01/18/2016 at 15h13 • Updated 01/18/2016 at 18:35 | By Elodie Troadec

• What is the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU)?

The Tennis Integrity Unit is defined as an independent body whose role is to investigate cases of corruption related to sports paris in tennis. The TIU has established a code of conduct, anti-corruption program, which applies to all players and supervising staff. This program requires particular to denounce any attempt at corruption they could be subject. At the initiative of the International Federation Tennis (ITF), the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Council of Grand Slams, the TIU was set up in September 2008, following the Davydenko affair.

• The Davydenko case, the starting point of the creation of the TIU

In May 2008, Jeff Rees and Ben Gunn, two former police officers of Scotland Yard, publish a survey of fifty suspicious matches. Mandated by the governing body of tennis (IFT, ATP, WTA) they are interested in particular in the meeting between Russian Nikolay Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina at the Sopot tournament (Poland) in August 2007. The Russian, favorite, easily won the first set. However, bettors are betting heavily on his defeat. Davydenko then lost the second set before retiring through injury in the third. The story raises suspicion of faking.

The ATP opened an investigation but eventually whitens both players for lack of evidence. In their report, the authors advocate the creation of an anti-corruption program, and stress that the growing attention for tennis bettors poses risks to the reputation and integrity of the sport.

• What are the responsibilities of the TIU

The TIU, based in London, has three roles: prevention, education and investigate. Working with the governing bodies of professional tennis tournaments and managers, it restricts access to the players to a small number of people allowed to prevent them from becoming victims of bribery attempts. The aim is also to identify the persons responsible for these processes. The mission of education must help to explain to players approaches the techniques used by these people. Finally, the TIU has the authority to investigate any activity that seems suspicious to him. The revelations of the BBC and BuzzFeed show that the risk of corruption is not limited to players misfiled. Members of the top 50 are also approached.

• How many people TIU she has sanctioned?

TIU delivered eighteen sanctions since its inception. The sentences range from six months of suspension to lifetime ban and concern both players as referees. Among the six suspended for life five players: Serbian David Savic (659 ^th World) and Daniel Koellerer of Austria (former 55 ^th World) in 2011, the Russian Sergei Krotiouk (789 ^th World, ranked at the highest 486 ^th ) in 2013, his compatriot Andrey Kumantsov (best ranking: 261 ^th World) in 2014, and finally the Greek Alexandros Jakupovic (469 ^th World) last December. The sixth banned for life is an arbitrator, the French Lamri Morgan in November 2014. In March 2015, the French player Elie Rousset has meanwhile been sentenced to six months of suspension, three of which were suspended, and 5000 dollars of fine

Read also:. Tennis: A French became the first referee banned for life

The penalty varies according to the severity of the offense anti-corruption program , fines of up to 250,000 dollars. The Greek Alexandros Jakupovic player has been banned for life last December, the TIU reproaching him for having “arranged directly or indirectly the result of a match “.

The paris, how does it work?

The sports betting is to bet the money on a game, mainly the winner but it can also be on any other aspect of the game (number of points, the first player or first team to score a point or a goal, etc.). The money is collected by a “ bookmaker ” , which then redistributes the gains to the players after taking a commission.

At the time of bet, The player looks at the odds: it comes to each possible outcome of the bet (player or team winning A (e), player or team B win (e) draw when possible depending on the sport …). This rating corresponds both to the likelihood that this issue takes place and the amount of gain possible (eg € 10 wagered on a 2 rating will, in case of victory, 10 × 2 = 20 euros earned). It is first calculated by the bookmaker, then evolves according to paris players, who feel that a particular outcome is more likely.