Tennis has had its fair share of corruption over the years, which may seem hard to believe since it is considered a fair sport. But, such is life in professional sports and unfortunately, there have been quite a few players over the years to try and make an extra payday by throwing a match.
Mauricio Echazu Puente has been provisionally prohibited to play or attend any professionally sanctioned tennis event by the ITIA. This news came a couple of weeks ago when the Anti-corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Raj Parker announced that this was the outcome.
Corruption is Taken Seriously
The official ITIA statement read: “The ITIA may at any time make an application to an AHO for a provisional suspension of a covered person, including before a notice of major offense has been issued, before a hearing or at any time after a hearing but prior to the AHO’s issuance of a written decision. “Provisional suspensions shall ordinarily be determined on written submissions unless the AHO considers an oral hearing necessary.”
This is not even the first ban this year as Morocco's Simohamed Hirs was handed a lifetime ban for corruption, as well as two Uzbekistani players over match-fixing.
Not the best news to hear if you're a fan of tennis, but it is great to know that the regulators are actually doing their jobs.