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A player from Serbia has been given a 24-year suspension from tennis – one of the most severe punishments imposed by anti-corruption investigators outside of a lifetime ban – for match-fixing.<\/b><\/p>\n
Stefan Milicevic, who reached a career-high world ranking of 1,338th in 2014, was charged with fixing six matches, including five in which he was competing.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old, who played on the lower rungs of the professional ladder, was also charged with attempting to fix a further six matches between 2022 and 2024.<\/p>\n
Along with the match-fixing, the International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) said Milicevic was also charged with recruiting or attempting to recruit multiple professional players “as part of a corrupt network”.<\/p>\n
Players who were recruited by Milicevic have also been accused by the ITIA of fixing matches.<\/p>\n
The severity of Milicevic’s sanction is partly down to a lack of co-operation in the investigation.<\/p>\n
The ITIA said he “did not engage” in the process despite seven separate attempts from the independent organisation to contact him.<\/p>\n
Milicevic, who also received a \u00a353,000 fine, cannot take part in the sport until his ban ends in October 2050, by which time he will be 53 years old.<\/p>\n
While suspended, he is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.<\/p>\n