ITIA Suspends French Athlete and Bulgarian Official for Tennis Corruption Violations

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has taken strict action against French tennis professional Leny Mitjana. Mitjana has been suspended for a ten-year period, following 11 violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). Alongside the suspension, he has also been fined $20,000. These measures come as a result of his involvement in match-fixing activities. Despite his denial of the charges, an independent anti-corruption hearing officer found Mitjana guilty of multiple TACP breaches, which include facilitating wagering, manipulating match outcomes, influencing other players, and not reporting corrupt approaches. The suspension will be effective from December 22, 2023, to December 21, 2033, during which Mitjana is prohibited from participating in, coaching, or attending any ITIA-sanctioned tennis events.

Stefan Milanov, a Bulgarian tennis official, has also faced severe consequences from the ITIA. He has been suspended for a staggering 16 years due to his involvement in 17 TACP violations. These violations pertain to matches Milanov umpired in 2021 and involve wagering facilitation, scoring data manipulation, conspiracy attempts, and failure to cooperate with ITIA investigations. Milanov's failure to respond to the allegations was taken as an admission of liability, leading to his suspension. Additionally, he has been fined $75,000. This suspension will be effective from December 28, 2023, to December 27, 2039, preventing Milanov from officiating or attending any tennis events authorized or sanctioned by the ITIA or national associations.