All seven players were found to be in breach of the ITIA Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP). As a result of their involvement in tennis match-fixing, they will serve bans of various lengths.
The players in question are Arnaud Graisse, Arthur de Greef, Julien Dubail, Romain Barbosa, Maxime Authom, Omar Salman, and Alec Witmeur. All were convicted by a criminal court in Belgium and agreed to sanctions with the ITIA.
Described by the Washington Post as “the man who built the biggest match-fixing ring in tennis,” Sargsyan has traversed the globe since 2018 to build a network of more than 180 professional players across five continents.
As for the tennis players, three—Witmeur, de Greef, and Barbosa—have been provisionally suspended since May 2021. This followed formal charges in the criminal process in Belgium, as they were active players at that time.
Witmeur admitted to six breaches of the TACP, while de Greef and Barbosa both admitted to nine breaches. They were each given lengthy bans, although time already served under the provisional suspension will be credited.
As such, de Greef, who had a career-high ATP tennis singles ranking of 113 in 2017, is suspended for three years and nine months. This will conclude on May 26, 2024, while he will also pay a fine of $45,000 (£36,770/€42,070).
Barbosa, whose highest ATP singles ranking was 403 in 2016, will be banned for five years and nine months, also until May 26, 2024. He has also been fined $45,000, although some $31,500 of this is suspended.
In addition, the ITIA said Witmer’s suspension from tennis runs for two years and seven months to 26 December 2023. Witmeur, who hit a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1,056 in 2011, will also pay a $30,000 fine, with $21,000 suspended.
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