The Tennis Integrity Unit has slammed Italy’s Daniele Bracciali with a lifetime ban for match-fixing in a case that has marred the sport in recent years.
Bracciali, who is a former top 50 player, has been found guilty of match-fixing and corruption offences during the 2011 Barcelona Open. An ATP 500 event. An investigation by the TIU also found the Italian guilty of ‘facilitating betting’ during that tournament. As well as the ban, which prohibits Bracciali from attending or playing in any event organised by the governing bodies of the sport, he has been fined $250,000. A hearing took place in London between September 18-19.
“The finding of guilt and imposition of the lifetime suspension means that with immediate effect Bracciali is prohibited from playing in or attending any sanctioned events organised or recognised by the governing bodies of the sport,” a statement from the TIU reads.
The 40-year-old had been ranked as high at 49th in the world during 2006. The same year when he won his first and only ATP title at the Grand Prix Hassan II. He also won six titles on the doubles circuit with the most recent occurring at the Swiss Open in July.
In a separate ruling, Potito Starace has been issued with a 10-year ban for a similar offence. Starace is the former doubles partner of Bracciali and reached four tour finals in the singles. At his highest, he reached 40th in the doubles rankings and 27th in the singles. Together, the two players were semi-finalists at the 2012 French Open.
Starace, who is now retired, has been fined $10,000. His offences are also related to the 2011 Barcelona Open.
A second lifetime ban
Bracciali and Starace have been linked to alleged match-fixing for years. During 2005 they were fined £35,700 between them and banned for a combined total of four-and-a-half months for making bets on tennis.
Eight years later they were suspended in 2015 for 40 days as part of a wider investigation into match-fixing in their home country. In August that year they were banned for life by the Italian Tennis Federation. However, due to the complexity of the legal case and issues concerning the reliability of the evidence brought against them. Starace’s ban was dropped and Bracciali had his reduced to one year following an appeal.
The legal proceedings started in 2015 was conducted based on intercepted phone and internet conversations. It was alleged that Bracciali discussed making €50,000 through deliberately losing sets and Starace accepted illicit payments for losing to Pablo Andujar in Casablanca.
Ironically, their sentences from the TIU is focused specifically on their activities during the 2011 Barcelona Open and not the information gathered by Italian prosecutors over recent years.
Both players have the right to appeal.
