A Moroccan tennis player has been banned for life for his involvement in 135 match-fixing events, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Thursday. Ranked 473 worldwide in doubles in 2013, the latter will no longer have the right to play a tennis match on the professional circuit.
A tennis player of Moroccan origin has just been banned for life from the professional tennis circuit. He would have been involved in a vast network of match-fixing, himself having been involved in 135 games with the outcome or the predefined scenario. He mostly played doubles.
36-year-old Younes Rachidi, whose best ranking is 473 in the world in doubles in 2013, was also fined $34,000. He was further prohibited from coaching or participating in any official tennis event. According to the ITIA, this number of 135 offenses committed by a single person is a record.
On the ITF circuit
Rachidi was involved in match-fixing with two Algerian players recently banned by the ITIA. These cases were discovered following investigations carried out by law enforcement in collaboration with the ITIA in Belgium, according to a spokesperson for the body.
Rachidi has played most of his career on the ITF Tour, the lowest tier of professional tennis tournaments.