Former French Open tennis star banned for life over match-fixing incidents

Former French Open mixed doubles star Alexis Musialek has been banned from tennis for life after being found guilty of 39 breaches of the sport’s anti-corruption rules. The Frenchman was found to have fixed nine matches between 2016 and 2018. 

Musialek is banned from ever playing in, coaching or attending tennis competitions organised by the sport’s governing bodies. He has also been fined £39,000 ($50,000). 

The case is part of an International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) investigation in tandem with Belgian law enforcement. Musialek – who denied all charges – is one of several individuals implicated in match-fixing incidents. 

A former world No 255, Musialek was found to have contrived the outcome of multiple matches, received money, benefit or consideration for contriving the outcome of the matches. He was also found guilty of facilitating other players to not play to their maximum effort. 

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An ITIA statement read: “The ITIA today confirms that French tennis player Alexis Musialek has been banned from tennis for life following 39 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

“Musialek denied all charges brought against them, but was found by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Raj Parker to have been involved in the fixing of nine matches between 2016 and 2018, alongside failing to co-operate with an ITIA investigation by withholding evidence.

“The 35-year-old was found to have – among other offences – contrived the outcome of multiple matches, received money, benefit or consideration for contriving the outcome of these matches, and facilitated other players not to use their best efforts. 

“This case is the latest in a series of investigations pursued by the ITIA in conjunction with law enforcement in Belgium, which has seen a number of tennis players implicated in match-fixing incidents, and the leader of the scheme jailed for five years. 

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“In this case, evidence from the Belgian proceedings supported intelligence gathered through parallel ITIA investigations and industry betting alerts. 

“As a result of this ruling, Musialek will be prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis permanently. They have also been fined $50,000. The sanction is effective from 5 August 2023.”

Musialek reached the second round of the 2018 French Open mixed doubles alongside partner Kristina Mladenovich. It is not clear whether any of his matches at the tournament were implicated in the scandal. 

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