03-09-2007 ATP announces zero-tolerance policy on internet gambling

While French newspaper L'Equipe revealed that two elite tennis players have personally witnessed "thrown" matches and many others have been offered bribes to lose, the tennis boss Etienne De Villiers announced that effective immediately the Association of Tennis Professionals will investigate every single rumour suggesting a player or someone from his entourage is involved in online betting activities.

De Villiers also said the ATP is considering the introduction of new rules to punish anyone who fails to report information about possible gambling activities or gambling approaches. In addition, starting 2009, an independent medical panel will verify that players retiring from tournaments are really injured. Anyone found not injured will be suspended.

The ATP has signed or is close to sign agreements to share information about suspicious betting patterns with at least 10 online gambling operators. The agreements are similar to the long-established memorandum of understanding the ATP has with betting exchange Betfair.

"We are way ahead of most governing bodies in terms of this issue," said De Villiers, who defended the delays in questioning Nikolay Davydenko on charges of match fixing saying the investigators leading the probe want to have as much information as they can before interviewing the Russian player.