Chinese Tennis Star Pang Renlong Receives 12-12 months Suspension for Match-Fixing

Professional tennis has been hit with the surprising revelation that 25-year-old Chinese participant Pang Renlong was slapped with a 12-year ban and $110,000 advantageous for spearheading an in depth match-fixing ring.

The ITIA has confirmed that Pang manipulated the outcomes in 22 matches over 5 months from May to September 2024.

Match-Fixing in ITF Tournaments in Asia and Beyond

ITIA experiences said that Pang Renlong admitted to fixing the outcomes of 5 of his personal matches at ITF-level occasions. He was discovered to have made corrupt approaches to opponents in 11 matches, six of which had been then fastened. These incidents occurred at a number of completely different occasions, together with tournaments in Turkey, Hong Kong, and mainland China, in addition to the ATP Challenger-level Jinan Open in China.

One of the extra memorable outings of Pang’s was the ITF Men’s 25 match in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, this August, when he misplaced 6-0, 6-2 to South Korea’s Shin Woo-bin, ranked 697 on the planet at that second. Though ITIA didn’t pinpoint the exact matches that concerned corruption, the inquiry definitely confirmed a constant sample of unethical conduct.

Pang’s Additional Fines and Suspension

The career-high ATP singles rating of 1,316 posted by Pang will probably be overshadowed by the disciplinary motion, which runs by way of 2036, together with time already served below provisional suspension. Of his $110,000 advantageous, $70,000 is suspended, which means Pang is straight away accountable for paying $40,000, per Global Times.

The suspension is just not solely on taking part in but in addition prohibits Pang from teaching or attending any tennis occasions below the auspices of the ITIA, ATP, WTA, ITF, or nationwide tennis federations. It makes sure that there will not be any alternatives for him to have an effect on the game in any respect within the subsequent 12 years.

Match-Fixing Is Becoming the Norm

This case is a part of an rising crackdown on match-fixing in skilled tennis. Last week, the ITIA introduced that French participant Quentin Folliot acquired a 20-year ban for match-fixing and corruptly recruiting different gamers to a corruption syndicate.

Folliot, ranked No. 2,135 on the planet, is now the sixth participant sanctioned for involvement within the community.