Tennis Official Receives 12-Year Ban For Breaching Anti-Corruption Rules

| by Alex Waite

Bolivian tennis official Percy Flores received a 12-year suspension from tennis and was given a $15,000 fine for breaching anti-corruption rules.

Flores was found to have broken several Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) rules between November 2021 and October 2022. Instances of Flores' corruption include forcing another official to participate in corrupt conduct and knowingly inputting wrong scores into the umpire's scoring pad to support betting activity.

Overall, the Bolivian official reportedly broke 31 TACP anti-corruption rules across the 11-month spell. Originally, Richard McLaren, the Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Professor in charge of the case, argued that Flores' actions merited a 15-year suspension, but the time was reduced to 12 as the official admitted to the charges and for good conduct whilst the investigation took place.

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Flores was initially suspended in December 2022 while the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) investigated the breaches. Due to this, the official's suspension date began at the end of last year, and it will expire on December 7, 2034.

As part of the suspension terms, Flores will not be able to attend any tennis events or matches that are organised by official tennis governing bodies. In addition, she is banned from officiating any official tennis matches until her ban is complete.

Flores did not contest any of the charges brought against her. The Bolivian official is a white badge umpire, the second level of umpire that can oversee ITF professional competitions, the Davis Cup and Fed Cup, and some ATP and WTA-led events.

The ban follows another recent, high-profile betting scandal after former ATP top ten player Mark Philippoussis was also fined and handed a suspended sentence by the ITA after he accepted payment to promote a gambling operator.

However, that didn't stop the Australian as he rejoined the coaching team of Stefanos Tsitsipas only a few days after receiving the suspended ban and fine.

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