Nigerian tennis players banned for match-fixing scandal

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has banned three Nigerian tennis players for their involvement in a match-fixing scandal tied to a Belgian syndicate.

According to AP News, the players were found guilty of breaching the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) following a 2023 criminal case that resulted in a five-year prison sentence for syndicate leader Grigor Sargsyan.

Among those penalised is 35-year-old Henry Atseye, who confessed to six TACP violations committed between 2017 and 2018. His infractions included facilitating bets and manipulating the outcomes of three matches. Atseye worked alongside Karim Hossam, a player banned for life in 2018, to orchestrate these corrupt activities. He has been suspended for two years and six months and fined $10,000.

The other two players, 26-year-old Sylvester Emmanuel and 29-year-old Christian Paul were also found guilty of six TACP violations, including match-fixing, accepting bribes, and failing to report corrupt approaches. They have each been handed three-year bans, effective from November 2024 to November 2027 and fined $10,000.

All three players are prohibited from participating in, coaching, or attending any tennis events sanctioned by the ITIA or national tennis associations during their suspensions. They are all ranked outside the top 1,000 in the global rankings.

These latest sanctions contribute to a growing number of tennis players banned for their involvement in match-fixing schemes linked to the Grigor Sargsyan syndicate, which has continued to cast a shadow over the sport.