International Tennis Integrity Agency bans Slovenian tennis umpire for 10+ years for breaching anti-corruption rules

A Slovenian tennis umpire, who has overseen several major tournaments on both the ATP and WTA circuits, has been convicted of betting and data manipulation. The umpire, who is a bronze-level official, now faces a lengthy ban and a hefty fine owing to the breaches of anti-corruption rules established by the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

The umpire, Marko Ducman, faces a ten-and-a-half-year ban and has been restricted from attending competitive tennis events, including all four Grand Slam tournaments on both the ATP and WTA circuits.

As per a report from Express.co.uk, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that Ducman admitted to four breaches of the anti-corruption codes, including betting on matches and manipulating data from the games he was part of as an official. 

Slovenian tennis official Marko Ducman has been suspended from the sport after admitting to breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.

— International Tennis Integrity Agency (@itia_tennis) November 23, 2023

In addition to a suspension of 10 years and six months, Ducman was charged with a fine of £60,000 ($75,000), out of which £45,000 ($56,250) will be spared if he does not commit further offenses.

The publication cited remarks from officials in its report, who revealed that the Slovenian tennis umpire cooperated with their investigation, and he did not appeal the ban at the time. 

The TACP was formed to protect the integrity of tennis by preventing corruption and has put together a set of anti-corruption guidelines that everyone in the tennis community must follow. Offenses described in the program include match-fixing, courtsiding, and other misconduct. The set of codes applies to people involved in the sport, including players, their entourages, coaches, and referees. 

Earlier this month, the ITIA banned seven Belgian players who have also been suspended for breaches of the TACP. The suspensions were related to a criminal case in Belgium involving a match-fixing syndicate.