Spanish tennis player suspended for 15 years for match fixing

A Spanish tennis player admitted to 35 breaches and will not return to the sport until 2039

A Spanish tennis player has been banned from the sport for 15 years (Getty Images)

Spanish tennis player Aaron Cortes has been suspended for 15 years over his involvement in match-fixing, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said.

Cortes, who has a career-high world ranking of 955 achieved in 2017, admitted to 35 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program between 2016-18 and co-operated fully with the investigation.

In a statement, the ITIA said Cortes’s charges included “contriving the outcome of events, accepting money to contrive the outcome of events, failure to report corrupt approaches, wagering on tennis, and providing money to tournament officials in exchange for a wild card.”

“The player has been fined $75,000, of which $56,250 is suspended,” the body added. “The player’s period of ineligibility began on March 27, 2024 and ends at midnight on March 26, 2039.”

The ITA, which was set up to protect the integrity of professional tennis across the world, issued the 15-year ban and fine for offences which took place between 2016 and 2018.

Cortes, whose highest singles ranking in his career was 955, has been banned from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event under the authority of the International Tennis Federation, the Women’s Tennis Association, the Association of Tennis Professionals, Wimbledon, Tennis French Federation, United States Tennis Association or any other national association.

The 29-year-old accepted the agreed sanction and waived his right to a hearing by an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer.