Spanish tennis player Aaron Cortes has been handed a 15-year ban by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after confessing to 35 violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. The ban, effective from March 27, 2024, to March 26, 2039, also comes with a fine of USD 75,000, with USD 56,250 suspended.
Cortes, who achieved a career-high world singles ranking of 955 in September 2017, acknowledged engaging in various breaches of the TACP between 2016 and 2018. These included manipulating match outcomes, accepting bribes to influence results, failing to report corrupt approaches, betting on tennis matches, and offering money to tournament officials for favorable treatment, as stated by the ITIA.
In response to the investigation, the 29-year-old Cortes fully cooperated with the ITIA and accepted the prescribed penalty, opting out of a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer.
During his period of ineligibility, Cortes is barred from participating in, coaching at, or attending any tennis events authorized or sanctioned by ITIA members such as ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Federation Francaise de Tennis, Wimbledon, and USTA, as well as any national association.
