Former Austrian player Daniel Koellerer has slammed the ATP for their treatment of him after he was banned from the sport in 2011.
In May 2011 the former world No.55 became the first player in history to be banned for life after an investigation found him guilty of match-fixing violations between October 2009 – July 2010. The investigation, conducted by the Tennis integrity Unit, also fined him $100,000 for match-fixing offences. Koellerer lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS supported the life ban in 2012, saying in a statement that ‘The panel ruled that the tennis governing bodies had met their burden of proof’. They did, however rule that the Austrian didn’t have to pay the $100,000 fine as ‘he didn’t financially benefit’ from the charges.
The incident has still left a sour taste in the Austrian’s mouth. During a recent interview with Italian website tenniscircuis.com, he has accused the ATP of destroying his life.
“The ATP has destroyed my life,” Koellerer told tenniscircus.com in Italian.
“My house, my wife and my child, everything is gone and I was depressed.”
The 32-year-old has also maintained his innocence of match-fixing, arguing that he was given the ban ‘without proof of match-fixing’. The comments echo the ones which he made during an interview with the BBC in January this year. Koellerer said that he was offered money to fix matches in Moscow, Chennai and Paris but refused.
Speaking in Italian with Tennis Circus, Koellerer argued that the treatment he received would not of been the same for the best players in the world. Calling the ATP ‘a mafia’, he alleged widespread corruption in the organization and says that he was made an example of by the ATP.
“The ATP would never would block Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Murray,” he said.
“I do not think these players manipulate the system, but if they did it would be suicide for the ATP. The best players are protected. They are too important to be sacrificed.
“I am an eyesore for the ATP. They have sacrificed me to show the other players what can happen. There are protected players and players who the ATP wants to get rid of”.
Throughout his career, the Austrian has been a controversial figure on the tour. He was found guilty of racism in 2010 after making racist remarks to Brazilian tennis player Júlio Silva. Koellerer was heard calling Silva a ‘monkey’ and shouting ‘go back to the jungle’ during a match on the Challenger tour. In another incident, former top-20 player Stefan Koubek was disqualified from a match after grabbing Koellerer at the throat. Koubek said that he was insulted by the Austrian during the match, which prompted his actions.
On Marin Cilic
Koellerer ended his interview with a jibe at former US Open champion Marin Cilic. In 2013 the Croat failed a drug test after traces of the banned substance, Nikethamide, was found in his urine. Cilic maintained his innocence, arguing that he didn’t intentionally digest the substance after a member of his team brought some glucose tablets at a local pharmacy that contained the banned substance. After lodging an appeal to the CAS, they reduced his ban from nine months to four after concluding that he didn’t intentionally take the substance. While Cilic has been cleared, Koellerer has express his doubts about the world No.12.
“I don’t want to say names. But it is quite obvious that some things with him are not clear. It is simply sad. He was tested positive and one year after that he won the US Open.” The 32-year-old said.
The Austrian played Cilic once during his career at the 2010 Zagreb Open, losing the match is straight sets.
