Tennis

Austrian Koellerer banned for life for match-fixing

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-06-01 10:53

Daniel Koellerer of Austria reacts to a point during his Vienna Open first round tennis match against Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in Vienna, in this file picture taken October 28, 2009. Austrian tennis player Daniel Koellerer has been banned from the sport for life for match-fixing, the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said on May 31, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - Austrian tennis player Daniel Koellerer has been banned from the sport for life for match-fixing, the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old, ranked 385th in the world and who reached a career high 55th in 2009, was found guilty of three charges under the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme, including "contriving or attempting to contrive the outcome of an event."

"The life ban applies with immediate effect, and means Mr Koellerer is not eligible to participate in any tournament or competition organised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of professional tennis," the TIU said in a statement.

Koellerer, who was also fined $100,000, has the right to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The TIU was established by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the ATP and WTA Tours to protect the sport from corruption and betting scandals. All players must sign up to the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme.