100 people with a possible connection to match fixation in tennis are currently being investigated in Belgium. It informs the prosecution in Belgium on Friday, according to the AFP news agency. The case involves a very structured gang of Eastern Europe, operating from Belgium with tennis matches as a speciality. - They focus on lower ranked matches, where it is easier to scam, says Eric Van Duyse, spokesman for the prosecution. It is typically about the Challenger Tour or in Futures Tournaments, which is a distance from the top level. According to the spokesman, the investigation has led to six other countries, which are Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany, the Netherlands, France and the United States.
Two French players were arrested last week before playing a double-match match in a small Bressuire tournament in France. However, the four players were released on Wednesday, but are still being investigated as they are suspected of accepting bribes in matches of another smaller tournament. According to French police, they are players who are chasing a professional ATP career but who are currently outside the distinguished company.
According to AFP, the bribes for battles in these tournaments can reach 3000 euros (about 22,000 dollars), while the prize money for winning the smaller tournaments is often around 2000 euros (about 15,000 dollars). Six members of the gang suspected of being behind the match-fixing network are already charged in the case, while the suspected leader is in custody. In June 2018, the Belgian authorities raised charges against five Armenians in a match-fixing tennis match. It happened after 13 people were arrested in Belgium when the police struck at 21 addresses in the country while there were similar police actions in Germany, France, Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Netherlands and the United States.
In October last year, the prosecution in Belgium aimed 19 people in a case of possible match fixation in Belgian football after raids among Belgian clubs, including big clubs like Anderlecht, Standard Liege and Club Brugge. In total, 44 searches were conducted in Belgium and another 13 in all in France, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia.
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