Photo via BBC Sport

Serb player banned until 2050 for tennis match-fixing

Serbian tennis player Stefan Milicevic has been handed a historic 24-year ban by the International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA), one of the longest suspensions ever imposed outside a lifetime ban. The 29-year-old, whose career-high ranking was 1,338th in 2014, was found guilty of fixing six matches he played in and attempting to fix another six between 2022 and 2024.

The ITIA also accused him of recruiting multiple players into a corrupt network, with those players allegedly involved in match-fixing as well. Milicevic’s punishment includes a £53,000 fine and a ban lasting until October 2050, preventing him from participating in any tennis-related activity until he turns 53.

His refusal to cooperate with investigators, despite multiple attempts to contact him, contributed to the severity of the sanction. The case follows a similar crackdown on match-fixing, including a 20-year ban handed to French player Quentin Folliot in December 2024 for his role in a syndicate operating between 2022 and 2024.

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