The four governing bodies of tennis have announced that the creation of The Terms of Reference and Protocols for the Independent Review of Integrity in Tennis.
The ITF, ATP, WTA and Grand Slam Board released a brief statement concerning the formation of a three-member Independent Review Panel (IRP). The IRP will review the current procedures of the sports anti-corruption units and make recommendations for any changes. It will also look into allegations of corruption in the sport. The panel will be headed by Adam Lewis QC, who will pick the two other members to join the panel. In a statement released by the four bodies, they have agreed to make the recommendations public.
“The International Governing Bodies commit to make the outcomes and recommendations of the IRP publicly available and to implement and fund all the actions recommended by the IRP”. According to a released document.
The IRP will investigate the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (“TACP”), the Tennis Integrity Unit (“TIU”) and the Tennis Integrity Protection Programme (“TIPP”), all of which are joint parties to the four governing bodies.
The launch of the panel follows recent revelations surrounding corruption in the sport. Hours before this year’s Australian Open, a joint investigation by the BBC and Buzzfeed news alleges that numerous cases of match-fixing have occurred in the sport in recent years. The report claimed that eight suspected match fixers participated in the first Grand Slam of this year.
Earlier this week, another scandal emerged when it was revealed by The Guardian that a group of umpires on the Futures circuit has been sanctioned for match-fixing violations. Accord to the ITF Kazak umpire Kirill Parfenov was banned for life in February 2015 and Croatia’s Denis Pitner was suspended for a year last August. There are also four unnamed umpired under investigation for other offenses.
Full details concerning the Independent Review of Integrity in Tennis Terms of Reference and Protocols can be read below.
