Serbian tennis player Stefan Milićević has been handed a 24-year suspension after an investigation by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found serious breaches of tennis’ anti-corruption rules, including match-fixing and attempts to recruit other players into a corrupt network.
The 29-year-old has also been fined $70,000 and will remain ineligible to participate in sanctioned tennis events until October 8, 2050. The ITIA announced the sanction on Thursday, October 15, after Milićević failed to respond to the charges or cooperate with the investigation.
According to the governing body’s findings, Milićević was charged with fixing six matches between 2022 and 2024, including five in which he competed himself. He was also accused of attempting to fix six additional matches during the same period.
Stefan Milićević Accused Of Fixing Six Matches
The ITIA investigation found that the Serbian player was involved in a wider match-fixing operation that extended beyond his own matches.
Milićević was charged with recruiting, or attempting to recruit, multiple professional players into what the agency described as a “corrupt network”. The ITIA said the alleged activity resulted in other players fixing matches during the same period.
The agency has not publicly identified the matches involved or named the other players implicated in the investigation.
Milićević reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 1,338 in August 2014. His professional career largely remained at the lower levels of the sport, but the ITIA’s findings involved multiple alleged violations over a period of several years.
ITIA Confirms 24-Year Ban And $70,000 Fine
The ITIA said it attempted to contact Milićević on seven separate occasions through multiple channels during its 2026 investigation. However, he did not engage with the process or respond to the findings.
On September 24, 2026, the player was issued a Notice of Major Offence. After he failed to respond, the sanction took effect under the applicable rules and ITIA sanctioning guidelines on October 9.
The suspension runs until October 8, 2050, effectively excluding Milićević from sanctioned tennis for nearly a quarter of a century.
During the suspension, he is prohibited from playing in, coaching at or attending events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, the ATP, the WTA, the Grand Slam tournaments or any national tennis association.
Match-Fixing Continues To Challenge Tennis
The case adds to the series of disciplinary actions taken by tennis authorities against corruption in professional tennis.
Match-fixing remains a significant concern, particularly at lower-tier events, where players can face financial pressures and betting markets can create opportunities for corruption.
The ITIA is responsible for investigating and sanctioning breaches of tennis’ anti-corruption rules. Its latest action against Milićević underlines the potential consequences for players found to have manipulated matches or attempted to involve others in such activity.