Moscow, Feb 5 (IANS) The media reports of corruption in global tennis lack facts, president of the Russian Tennis Federation Shamil Tarpischev has said.
The BBC and Buzzfeed earlier reported that elite tennis players, including winners of Grand Slam titles, “have been repeatedly flagged to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they have thrown matches,” reports Tass.
“There is nothing behind these accusations. This is just this corporation’s self-advertising, which for some reason involves all of us,” Tarpischev said on Thursday.
“There were accusations, but they should be followed by evidence. But we have not seen it. If there is evidence, come up with it. But we hear only empty talk. They recalled 2007 and 2008.”
“The whole story faded away back then. It led nowhere and now came to the fore all of a sudden. The question is why and who stands to gain from this. I am sure this is just self-advertising, to which we should not respond in any way,” he added.
According to Tarpischev, top players do not take part in match-fixing.
“They just have no need to do that,” he said.