The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) banned a Bulgarian tennis umpire after discovering he bet on tennis.
The umpire violated the anti-corruption policy of the sport and was punished with a six-month suspension and a $10,000 fine, with $5,000 suspended, as the ITIA clarifies in their report.
The umpire's name is Stefan Milanov, and he admitted to placing many wagers on tennis matches, including one he was umpiring, which is a big breach of the rules, as he could have directly impacted the result of the match with his decisions.
It's been one of the latest controversies to rock the tennis world after several players tested positive for banned substances recently. Milanov admitted to his actions of Section D.1.a of the 2022 TACP, which clearly states:“No Covered Person shall directly or indirectly, Wager on the outcome or any other aspect of any Event or any other tennis competition.”
The official was suspended beginning on November 15, 2022, and it will terminate on May 14, 2023. Milanov is not permitted to officiate at or go to any tennis event that has been approved or sanctioned by the tennis governing organizations during this time.
While the ban may not seem harsh enough, it's expected that Milanov will not be able to officiate any more matches after this controversy, and on top of that, he was required to pay $5,000.
This case once again highlights the importance of having a strong anti-corruption program, as it's not the first, and unfortunately, also not the last case of a person directly involved in a match betting on it.
While oftentimes players try to make extra money by betting against themselves or "selling" matches, this time, the umpire just probably didn't resist his urge to gamble, and in the end, it possibly cost him umpiring career.
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