Brazil's Souza gets life ban, big fine for tennis match-fixing

Melbourne, Jan 25 (AFP) Former top-100 tennis player Joao Souza has been banned for life and fined USD 200,000 for match-fixing and other corruption offences, the Tennis Integrity Unit said on Saturday. An investigation found the Brazilian fixed matches at ATP Challenger and ITF Futures events in Brazil, Mexico, the United States and the Czech Republic, the anti-corruption body said.

The current world number 742, who reached a career-high ranking of 69 in 2015, also failed to report corrupt approaches, destroyed evidence and "solicited other players to not use best efforts". Sousa, 31, had been provisionally suspended since last March, pending investigations. His hearing was held in London this month.

"The player is permanently ineligible to compete in or attend any sanctioned event organized or recognised by the governing bodies of the sport," the TIU statement said.