Aymen Ikhlef served lifetime ban by TIU following TACP breaches

The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) has handed a lifetime ban and $100,000 fine to Algerian tennis player Aymen Ikhlef after he was found to have breached the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP) on multiple occasions.

Following a TIU investigation, it was revealed that Ikhlef was in breach of sections ‘D.1.d’, ‘D.1.e’ and ‘D.2.a.i’ of the 2016 TACP, as well as section F.2.b / D.2.c of the 2017 TACP.

He was found guilty of four instances of match fixing, two instances of soliciting other players not to use their best efforts, three instances of failure to report a corrupt approach and one charge of failing to cooperate with the TIU investigation.

As a result, Ilhlef will be ‘permanently prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis’.

Ikhlef’s sanction is the latest crackdown on breaches of tennis integrity by the TIU. Last week, French line umpire David Rocher was banned from officiating after he was found to have placed bets on 11 tennis matches between January and October 2019 as well as failing to cooperate with the TIU investigation.

Rocher admitted to betting on the 11 matches but denied not cooperating with the TIU.