Italian tennis official suspended for 5 1/2 years for corruption breaches

An Italian tennis official has been suspended for 5 1/2 years for multiple corruption breaches, the sport's integrity agency said on Thursday.

Manuel Guion, a national-level official who has also served as a line judge at ATP challenger level, admitted to five breaches of the tennis anti-corruption program.

The breaches included conspiring to commit a corruption offense, soliciting a player to commit a corruption offense, encouraging tennis betting, and betting on events when officiating at them, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said in a statement.

The ITIA added Guion cooperated fully and was also fined $6,000. He is prohibited from officiating at or attending any tennis event sanctioned by all ITIA members during his suspension.