Tennis umpire receives lifetime ban for corruption offences

A French tennis official has been banned for life after being found guilty of corruption offences.

Morgan Lamri, 22, a chair umpire on the Futures and Challenger tours became the first official to be suspended by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) after breaching four articles of its anti-corruption program in 2012 and 2013.

A statement by the TIU said: “French tennis official Morgan Lamri has been banned from the sport for life after being found guilty of multiple offences under the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.

Wagering on events

“Mr Lamri, 22, was found guilty of charges laid under the 2012 and 2013 editions of the Program, in a case based on the findings of a Tennis Integrity Unit investigation.

“The charges for which he has been found guilty and sanctioned are: 16 separate breaches of Section D.1.a of the 2012 and 2013 Programs:

‘No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, wager or attempt to wager on the outcome or any other aspect of any Event or any other tennis competition’.

Contriving the outcome of events

“One breach of Section D.1.d of the 2013 Program: ‘No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, contrive or attempt to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of any Event’.

Solicit or facilitate a player to not use their best efforts

“One breach of Section D.1.e of the 2013 Program: ‘No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit or facilitate any Player to not use his or her best efforts in any Event’.

Failure to co-operate

“Breaches of Section D.2.c of the 2013 Program: ‘For the avoidance of doubt, (i) a failure of the Reporting Obligation by any Covered Person; and/or (ii) a failure of the duty to co-operate under Section F.2 shall constitute a Corruption Offence for all purposes of the Program’.”

Lamri was given a lifetime ban from the sport with immediate effect.