The leaders in international tennis have combined forced to refute allegations that matches, including Grand Slam tournament play, were fixed and that players involved have been allowed to sidestep any form of punishment. The Association of Tennis Professionals, Women’s Tennis Association, and the governing bodies of the four major tournaments joined together on Monday January 18, 2016, to put up a united front in opposition to the accusations, stating that they are working together to “continue to promote the integrity of the sport” against any form of corruption.
The announcement coincided with the start of the Australian Open, the first major of the new year.
According to the official position of the Tennis Integrity Unit, a coordinated effort from the major tennis organizations to investigate dishonesty in the sport, allegations surfaced over the course of the last year that gamblers had bribed twenty-something players to fix matches and throw games. However, the TIU took no disciplinary action in the wake of their investigation and has yet to release the names of those potentially involved.
The collective organizations are holding steadfast behind their belief in the objectivity of the TIU in rooting out problems, stating that the investigatory board found no evidence of corruption being covered up.
The announcement comes as just the latest in the international sports world being torn asunder from claim after claim of impropriety.