Bulgarian tennis official Stefan Milanov has been handed a 16-year suspension from the sport by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The verdict was given after Milanov was found guilty of 17 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. Despite being charged by the ITIA, Milanov chose not to respond to the allegations.
The case was adjudicated by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Amani Khalifa, who not only imposed the lengthy suspension but also levied a fine of $75,000 against Milanov.
By opting not to contest the ITIA charges related to five matches he umpired in 2021, Milanov essentially acknowledged liability for all violations.
The charges brought against Milanov encompassed a range of offences, including facilitating wagering on events, delaying or manipulating scoring data entry, attempting or conspiring to commit corruption offences and failing to cooperate fully with ITIA investigations.
The suspension – effective from the decision date of 28 December 2023 – will persist until midnight on 27 December 2039.
Throughout the suspension period, Milanov is barred from officiating or attending any tennis events authorised or sanctioned by ITIA members, which include ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, French Tennis Federation, Wimbledon and USTA.
