ITIA bans two tennis players for life over betting offences
Slovenia’s Kolar and Riley from the US committed 25 and 15 offences respectively between 2015 and 2020. Both players were provisionally suspended in March pending a decision on sanctions.
Nastja Kolar’s offences
Kolar manipulated six matches in which she played, and conspired with Riley to do the same in four matches against one another. Her career World Tennis Association (WTA) ranking peaked inside the top 200 players, for singles and doubles.
The ITAI found her guilty of betting on tennis, facilitating betting by sharing information from the courts (courtsiding), and failing to report offences by Riley. In addition to her ban, Kolar will pay a fine of $175,000 (£137,176/€159,322), close to the maximum penalty of $250,000.
Alexandra Riley’s breaches
Meanwhile, Riley was found to have manipulated aspects of five matches. The ITIA found her guilty of courtsiding, failing to preserve evidence and failing report Kolar for corrupt offences.
In addition to the lifetime ban, Riley, whose WTA singles ranking reached its highest point of 691 in 2015, will pay a $50,000 penalty.
Both sanctions are effective from 14 March 2023, the date they were provisionally suspended.
Clamping down
The latest rulings come after the ITIA this week banned Romania’s Petru-Alexandru Luncanu for five years.
Luncanu, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 304 in 2009, breached the TACP on multiple occasions.
It follows bans for France’s Sherazad Reix and Bolivian chair umpire Heriberto Morales Churata earlier in 2023.