The world of tennis has been rocked by the severe sanction imposed on French tennis player Quentin Folliot. The player, who reached ATP ranking position 488 in 2022, has been suspended for 20 years. The penalty, which includes a $70,000 fine and the obligation to return $44,000 received illicitly, was imposed by the Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after confirming 27 violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. Folliot, who was provisionally suspended since May 2024, was a central figure in a group of players linked to an international syndicate dedicated to match-fixing. He is accused of directly manipulating results, accepting money to lose, offering bribes to other players, providing inside information, conspiracy, destroying evidence, and refusing to cooperate with investigators. According to the ITIA decision, Folliot will be banned until 2044 from competing, training, or participating in any event authorized by the organizations that make up the ITIA, including ATP, WTA, ITF, and the Grand Slams. This sanction is one of the harshest in sports history, second only to lifetime bans like that of Brazilian Joao Souza.
