February has thrust tennis into turbulent waters, as controversy spilled beyond the spotlight of the main tour and into the grit of Challenger 125 arenas, where Roman Burruchaga faced life-threatening death threats from bettors. Now, the narrative darkens further, as players themselves take center stage for the wrong reasons. An Argentine ATP pro has been banned for match-fixing, deepening the sport’s integrity crisis.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed a major sanction against Argentine player Leonardo Aboian. He has been suspended for six years and nine months and also fined $40,000, with $25,000 of that amount suspended.

Aboian admitted to 30 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). He accepted an agreed-upon sanction with the ITIA. He also waived his right to a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer.

The 27-year-old reached a career-high singles ranking of 229 in April 2025. He admitted to fixing eight of his own singles and doubles matches. These matches took place at ITF World Tennis Tour and ATP Challenger events between 2018 and 2025, inclusive.

He accepted all charges brought by the ITIA. The charges included facilitating wagering and contriving match outcomes. He also admitted to receiving payment for not giving his best effort and failing to report corrupt approaches.

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Time already served under provisional suspension will count toward his ban. Aboian has been provisionally suspended since 19 September 2025. His suspension will end on 18 June 2032, subject to repayment of outstanding fines.

During this period, he cannot play, coach, or attend any sanctioned tennis event. This includes events organized by the ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon, and USTA. The ITIA oversees integrity matters across these governing bodies.

And this is not the first major case involving an Argentine player this month. Weeks earlier, the ITIA suspended Hernán Casanova. He received a two-month ban for integrity-related violations.

The decision followed breaches linked to illegal betting and integrity rules. The ITIA confirmed the details in an official statement. “Casanova accepted a sanction of two months and a fine of $2,000, of which $1,500 is suspended. The sanction is effective from 4 February 2026 and will end on 3 April 2026,” the ITIA said.

These cases are not isolated incidents in tennis. Over the years, the sport has faced multiple corruption scandals. Several players across different levels have received significant bans.

Quentin Folliot was handed a 20-year ban for match-fixing

Last year, French player Quentin Folliot was suspended for 20 years. He committed 27 breaches of tennis’s anti-corruption program. An investigation by the ITIA found that he played a central role in a match-fixing syndicate.

Folliot denied 30 charges linked to 11 matches between 2022 and 2024. He played in eight of those matches. However, independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Amani Khalifa upheld 27 of the charges in October.

Folliot was provisionally suspended in May 2024. He was fined $70,000 and ordered to repay more than $44,000 in corrupt payments. His ban will end on May 16, 2044, after time served under provisional suspension is credited.

In 2025, Chinese player Pang Renlong received a 12-year ban. He was fined $110,000 for fixing 22 matches within five months. This case further shocked the tennis community.

Before that, seven Belgian players were suspended in another match-fixing investigation. The players were Arnaud Graisse, Arthur de Greef, Julien Dubail, Romain Barbosa, Maxime Authom, Omar Salman, and Alec Witmeur.

In 2024, three Nigerian players were also punished. Henry Atseye admitted six violations from 2017-18. Sylvester Emmanuel and Christian Paul did not respond to their charges and were fined $10,000 each.

The ITIA stated they were “effectively accepting liability and acceding to sanctions. ” These players were ranked outside the top 1,000. Yet their involvement still damaged the sport’s image.

With tennis betting scandals dominating headlines and massive bans effectively ending players’ careers beyond their prime, what should officials prioritize to prevent and reduce such corruption incidents in the first place? Share your thoughts below.