Tennis ref suspended for not reporting cheating attempts

Tennis authorities suspended Venezuelan referee Armando Belardi for two years and six months on Friday for not reporting approaches to him to alter match scores. The investigators also said Belardi was not fully cooperative with them. Belardi was fined $5,000, but $4,000 of it was suspended on condition he does not break anti-corruption regulations again.

Tennis authorities suspended Venezuelan referee Armando Belardi for two years and six months on Friday for not reporting approaches to him to alter match scores. Belardi was approached twice in 2018 by unidentified parties, the Tennis Integrity Unit said.

The investigation found Belardi did not alter the scores, but that he violated anti-corruption rules by not informing authorities. The investigators also said Belardi was not fully cooperative with them. Belardi was fined $5,000, but $4,000 of it was suspended on condition he does not break anti-corruption regulations again.