Two French tennis players banned for match fixing offences
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has today confirmed that two French tennis players Jules Okala and Mick Lescure, have been banned from the sport permanently following investigations into multiple incidents of match fixing since 2014.
The cases were ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Charles Hollander KC and the sanctions mean that both players are permanently prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis.
25 year old Okala who had a highest ATP ranking of 338, was found guilty of seven match fixing charges and as well as the lifetime ban has been issued with a fine of $15,000. 29 year old Lescure who had a highest ATP ranking of 487, was found guilty of eight charges and has been fined $40,000. The players have both been part of wider law enforcement investigations in France and Belgium.