Match-Fixing Scandal Rocks Tennis World as Disgraced Romanian Player Slapped With Hefty Punishment After Being Found Guilty

Romanian Tennis player Petru-Alexandru Luncanu has been banned for five years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for multiple breaches of the tennis anti-corruption program. He has also been fined a hefty amount of $40000. Luncanu was formerly ranked 304 in the world and has played in the Davis Cup for Romania. Luncanu was slapped with the charges as it was proved that he was involved in match-fixing activities from 2017 to 2021. Initially, he was hit with seven charges, but later it was proved that he was guilty of five charges.

Stringent possible punishment meted out

Luncanu, of course, denied all the charges, but to no avail. He was also hit with another charge of not fully co-operating with the ITIA’s investigation team. The case was considered by the independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO), Raj Parker. Luncanu also didn’t co-operate by not allowing the investigators to check his phone for any suspicious activities. The ITIA put out a tweet that carried his name, duration of his suspension and the time when his sanction ends which was 8th of June, 2028.

The five-year ban also means that Luncanu will not be able to play in, coach at, or attend any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis until 8 June 2028. This news would come as a devastating one for anyone. The ITIA, which prides itself in safeguarding the integrity of professional tennis worldwide, has proved to be a stringent organization yet again. But, how often does this happen in the world of tennis?

Does tennis have a match fixing problem?

Tennis may have a match-fixing problem lurking in the dark. Just recently, French tennis player Baptiste Crepatte was banned by the ITIA for the same offense of match fixing. He was found guilty of fixing three matches. Many such incidents have been reported over the past few years, with tennis being labelled the ‘dirtiest sport’ in the world, a tag that is quite impossible to believe. But such has been the money that has been poured in to corrupt the sport at the highest level, as it is now being reported that two players were offered money to fix matches in the 2021 Wimbledon doubles first round.

Read more: Match-Fixing Scandal Rocks Tennis World as Chair Umpire Receives Life-Time Ban

During February of this year, a former tennis player from Morocco, Younes Rachidi, was found to be guilty of 135 match fixing offenses. It is the highest number of match-fixing offenses by one person. Rachidi, who was ranked as high as world no.473 in doubles, became infamous for this act. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg.

Although tennis, like other sports, has a match fixing problem, the ITIA has stepped up at the right time to stop this menace. Tennis was once a clean sport and now the onus is on the players as well as the authorities to ensure it becomes such again.

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