Serbian Tennis Player Banned 24 Years for Match-Fixing

Serbian tennis player Stefan Milićević has received a 24-year ban from the sport and a $70,000 fine after being found to have fixed six matches and attempted to fix six others between 2022 and 2024. The ban, announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Thursday, will prevent Milićević from participating in tennis until 2050.

The ITIA's investigation revealed that Milićević was involved in a "corrupt network" and actively recruited other players to fix matches. He played in five of the six fixed matches himself.

During the period of his offenses, the 29-year-old Milićević, who reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 1,338, competed in 11 professional matches, all at the third tier of the tour. The ITIA did not disclose the specific matches or the identities of other players involved.

According to the ITIA, Milićević declined to cooperate with the investigation, despite multiple attempts to contact him. However, his lack of cooperation was not a factor in the determination of his punishment.

Milićević's suspension prohibits him from playing, coaching, or attending any events organized or sanctioned by governing bodies including the ATP, WTA, Grand Slam tournaments, and national tennis associations.

This case follows similar sanctions against other players. In December, Quentin Folliot of France was banned for 20 years for his role as a central figure in a match-fixing network. Additionally, Pang Renlong of China received a 12-year ban for 22 offenses committed over five months. Milićević previously played college tennis at the University of Minnesota and later served as a coach at DePaul University in Chicago.