The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that two tennis players have been sanctioned for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
Rakhimbek Ibrakhimov, a player from Uzbekistan who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1550 in August 2022, has been suspended for a period of 21 months and fined $5,000 after failing to co-operate with an ITIA investigation into two suspicious singles matches played in 2022.
The case was ruled upon by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Diana Tesic, after Ibrakhimov failed to engage with multiple requests for interview by the ITIA, or attend a hearing re-arranged at short notice at their own request.
Ibrakhimov’s period of ineligibility began on 3 July 2025, the date of the written decision, and will end on 2 April 2027.
Croatian tennis player Lauro Milanovic has been suspended for eight years and fined $10,000 after failing to co-operate with an ITIA investigation into historic TACP breaches.
32-year-old Milanovic, unranked, placed 15 winning bets on a tennis match involving a close associate in 2018, in breach of section D.1.a (wagering) of the TACP. Having received a report of these details in late 2023, the ITIA interviewed Milanovic in early 2024, who denied manipulating the outcome of the match for betting purposes. The ITIA subsequently sought to complete an analysis of Milanovic’s mobile device, but Milanovic refused to co-operate with the investigation any further, despite multiple requests.
Following Milanovic’s failure to reply to the sanction proposed in the notice of charge, the eight year suspension, and $10,000 fine came into force as a deemed sanction. However, Milanovic has elected to appeal this sanction to an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer. The period of ineligibility began on 30 May 2025, and will end on 29 May 2033, subject to appeal.
Meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal from Argentinian tennis player Melina Ferrero against a Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) sanction imposed in July 2024.
An appeal hearing was held by CAS via video conference on 12 March 2025, following which the CAS panel upheld the three-year TACP suspension issued by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Diana Tesic.
32-year-old Ferrero, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 731 in May 2015, was found by the CAS to have committed 12 breaches of the TACP across 2017 and 2018, as “part of a sustained course of misconduct that demonstrated a conscious disregard” for the TACP.
Ferrero’s period of ineligibility remains unchanged, beginning on 23 July 2024 (the date of the decision issued by AHO Tesic), and ending on 22 July 2027. The player’s fine remains at $15,000.
During their periods of ineligibility, Ibrakhimov, Milanovic and Ferrero are prohibited from playing at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of their professional tennis events.
To read the Ibrakhimov decision in full, click here.
Ends
Published 14 July 2025 14:00
