Italian Tennis Official Disqualified for 5 1/2 Years Over Betting

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has dropped the hammer: Italian referee Manuel Guion now faces a 5-year and 6-month disqualification for violating the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

In addition to the disqualification, Guion, a national-level official, has been hit with a $6000 fine. The suspension period kicked off on February 5, 2024.

Guion confessed to five distinct violations of the TACP. These infractions include inducing a player to engage in a corrupt act, promoting tennis betting, and placing bets on events he was officiating.

It’s worth noting that Manuel Guion served as a line judge during matches.

Throughout this disqualification period, the judge is barred from officiating or even attending any tennis events organized or sanctioned by the governing bodies of the sport.

Interestingly, this development comes on the heels of earlier reports by the ITIA indicating a decrease in the number of suspicious tennis matches in 2023.