Five French tennis players receive sanctions from ITIA for match-fixing

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The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) have announced the bans of five French players; following violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme, linked to a Belgian match-fixing syndicate from 2017 to 2018. 

This follows a criminal case in Belgium, which saw syndicate leader Grigor Sargsyan jailed for five years in 2023. 

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Yannick Thivant, a 38-year-old tennis player who was once ranked as high as 590 in the ATP rankings, received a lifetime ban for fixing 22 matches, including 16 of his own. 

Independent anti-corruption hearing officer Professor Richard McClean made the decision on the lifetime ban, as well as a $75,000 (£58,686) fine, and £32,000 in restitution. 

Thomas Breichemier, 28, who had reached a career-high ranking of 399, was given a seven year and six-month suspension, alongside a £31,300 fine (with £21,500 suspended), after admitting to fixing 11 matches. This ban will begin from 12 February 2025 and will last until August 2032.  

Gabriel Petit, 29, failed to respond to the ITIA’s charges, and was suspended for six years and six-months, after being found guilty of fixing seven matches. He will also receive a £27,400 fine, with his ban starting on 21 March 2025. 

Thomas Setodji, 29, was banned for 10 years and fined £15,650, alongside £4,300 in restitution after being found liable for fixing three matches and failing to report a corrupt approach. 

Finally, Hugo Daubias, 28, was given a two-year suspension after admitting to fixing two matches in 2017. His sanction includes a £11,700 fine, and a ban running until April 2027. 

This will bar the players playing, coaching or attending any tennis events that are authorised by the ITIA, which includes the ATP, WTA and ITF tour, alongside grand slams.  

The agency have been busy in recent months, handing a three-month ban to German tennis player Mina Hodzic, after receiving coaching from an already banned player Jordi Marse-Vidri.  

It has not only been limited to the players, as Bosnian official Damjan Dejanovic was handed a six-year suspension for TACP breaches; including wagering on professional tennis matches, as well as being found liable to data manipulation and corruption conspiracy - charges that he denies.  

The ITIA faced controversy in 2024 after opting not to suspend World number one Jannik Sinner after a doping violation, which was then appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which led to a three month ban in 2025, which the Italian is set to return from next month. 

Sinner maintained his innocence after testing positive for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024, saying it was an unintentional breach before coming to an agreement with WADA in February.

The ITIA came out defending their decision, while stating that the suspension supports their findings, with their decision to not suspend stemming from their decision of ‘No Fault or Negligence’, meaning no ban based on the application and facts of their rules.