Italian tennis players Daniele Bracciali and Potito Starace banned for life for match-fixing offences

London: Daniele Bracciali has been banned from tennis for life and fined $250,000 for match-fixing offences, the Tennis Integrity Unit announced on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_5596851” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Daniele Bracciali. AFP[/caption] The 40-year-old Italian, ranked 95 in doubles, was found guilty of match-fixing and associated offences relating to the ATP World Tour 500 tournament played in Barcelona in April 2011. He was also found to have facilitated betting relating to the Barcelona doubles match. “The finding of guilt and imposition of the lifetime suspension means that with immediate effect Mr Bracciali is prohibited from playing in or attending any sanctioned events organised or recognised by the governing bodies of the sport,” said a statement from the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU). Bracciali reached a career-best doubles ranking of 21 in June 2012. As a singles player his highest ranking was 49. In a separate ruling, former Italian player Potito Starace has been banned from involvement in the sport for 10 years and fined $100,000 after being found guilty of match-fixing. Starace, 37, reached a career-best singles ranking of 27 and a career-best 40 in doubles. His offences also relate to the Barcelona tournament, where he played in the singles. The Italian tennis federation banned Bracciali and Starace for life for match-fixing in August 2015 but Starace’s suspension was lifted later the same year and Bracciali’s ban reduced to 12 months. The TIU is an initiative of the Grand Slam Board, the International Tennis Federation, and the ATP and the WTA tours, aimed at stamping out corruption in the game.