Tennis Player Jasmina Tinjić Banned Six Years for Match-Fixing

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has suspended Jasmina Tinjić for six years for allegedly fixing matches, admitting to 23 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. The 33-year-old Tinjić, who was ranked as high as 236th in 2013, did not contest the charges relating to "corrupt activity" in 2017 and 2018.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has suspended Jasmina Tinjić for six years for allegedly fixing matches. The ITIA said Tinjić admitted to 23 "breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program," including "contriving the outcome of matches, facilitating wagering, receiving money in return for not giving best efforts in matches, and failure to report corrupt approaches."

Tennis Player Jasmina Tinjić Banned Six Years for Match-Fixing

Tinjić, who was ranked as high as 236th in 2013, did not contest the charges relating to "corrupt activity" in 2017 and 2018, the ITIA said.

The ITIA was flagged in January 2018 while she was playing in a tournament, which led to an investigation.

Tennis Player Jasmina Tinjić Banned Six Years for Match-Fixing

"Swedish authorities carried out an investigation into various tennis matches Ms. Tinjić played in and for which there was also suspicious betting activity," the ITIA said in its ruling.

That investigation led to criminal charges against her after she was found guilty of accepting a bribe of 12,000 SEK (equivalent to about $1,160).

Tennis Player Jasmina Tinjić Banned Six Years for Match-Fixing

The ITIA's investigation found that several matches in three different countries were fixed. It also revealed that there had been a bank transfer, but the ITIA blanked out the name of who made the transfer and other specifics from instances of the alleged match fixing.

Tinjić also failed to cooperate and allegedly tampered with evidence.

"At the time, she was extremely stressed, and suffered from anxiety and depression," the agency said. "Her financial situation exacerbated these and did not allow her to deal with them properly. She was thus vulnerable and allowed herself to be influenced in a way that would or should not have happened otherwise. For this she expresses her deep regret and anguish."

Tinjić had already been issued a 4½-year domestic ban in Sweden after a match-fixing investigation there. The ITIA said its six-year ban was backdated to match the Swedish ban and will end May 17, 2028.

Tinjić won four singles and 12 doubles titles on the ITF women's tour.

Tinjić's suspension is the latest in a series of match-fixing scandals in tennis. In recent years, several players have been banned for fixing matches, including former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova and former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli.

The ITIA is responsible for investigating and prosecuting match-fixing in tennis. The agency has been criticized for not doing enough to combat match-fixing, but it has recently taken steps to crack down on the problem.

In 2018, the ITIA introduced new rules that make it easier to investigate and prosecute match-fixing. The agency also increased its budget and staff.

The ITIA's efforts have led to a number of high-profile match-fixing cases in recent years. In 2018, the agency banned eight players for fixing matches. In 2019, the agency banned six players for fixing matches.

The ITIA's work is important to protect the integrity of tennis. Match-fixing is a serious problem that can damage the reputation of the sport. The ITIA's efforts to combat match-fixing are essential to ensuring that tennis remains a fair and competitive sport.