Tennis star Ksenia Palkina hit with 16-YEAR ban after match-fixing scandal

Tennis player Ksenia Palkina has been slapped with a 16-year ban due to match-fixing. Six of those years have been suspended and the former world no.163 has also been handed a £75,000 (with £69,600 suspended) fine.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced the punishment for offences she admitted to in 2018 and 2019. Palkina is in breach of rules set by the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

The Russian-born Palkina’s suspension is backdated to the start of her provisional suspension (22 November 2019). The ITIA also ruled that providing she does not further break the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program rules – she would be able to resume a career.

That will not be until 21 November 2029, when Palkina will be 39 years of age, meaning her career is all but over. Her sanctions also prohibit her from playing in or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by any international tennis governing body or national association for the duration of her ban.

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Palkina was in breach of four sections of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program rules. Firstly, Section of D.1.d of the 2018 and 2019 TACP: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, contrive, attempt to contrive, agree to contrive, or conspire to contrive the outcome, or any other aspect, of any Event.”

Secondly, section D.1.e of the 2018 and 2019 TACP which reads: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, facilitate, or conspire to solicit or facilitate any Player to not use his or her best efforts in any Event.”

She also violated section D.1.f of the 2018 and 2019 TACP which states: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, receive, agree in the future to receive, or conspire to solicit, receive or agree in the future to receive any money, benefit or Consideration on the basis of not giving their best efforts in any Event and/or negatively influencing another Player’s best efforts in any Event.”

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Finally, Palkina broke section D.2.a.i of the 2018 and 2019 TACP which reads: “In the event any Player is approached by any person who offers or provides any type of money, benefit or Consideration to a Player to (i) influence the outcome or any other aspect of any Event, or (ii) provide Inside Information, it shall be the Player’s obligation to report such incident to the TIU [now ITIA] as soon as possible.”

Palkina has won 11 singles titles on the ITF Women’s Circuit and 27 doubles tournaments. On 12 April 2010, she peaked at No. 164 in the WTA doubles rankings and reached her career-high singles ranking in 2009.