French tennis player Samuel Bensoussan has had his suspension from the sport for match-fixing extended to three years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The decision, which came after appeals from both Bensoussan and the ITIA, significantly lengthens his original one-year and 11-month ban.
Original Sanction and Appeals
Bensoussan, 34, was initially sanctioned for one year and 11 months after being found involved in fixing singles and doubles matches at lower-tier professional events. These violations were linked to a sophisticated organised crime syndicate based in Belgium, which was implicated in a broader match manipulation network within professional tennis.
Following the initial ruling, Bensoussan, whose career-high ATP singles ranking was No. 405 in June 2018, appealed to CAS seeking to overturn his ban. Concurrently, the ITIA argued that the initial penalty was insufficient and sought a more stringent suspension of six and a half years. After reviewing the case, the three-person CAS panel opted to increase Bensoussan’s ban to three years, falling short of the ITIA’s requested maximum but extending the player’s time away from the sport.
Wider Corruption Network Revealed
The CAS decision shed further light on the extensive nature of the investigation, highlighting that authorities had uncovered a criminal organisation responsible for corrupting at least 181 players worldwide and manipulating a minimum of 375 tennis matches. The Belgian-based syndicate at the heart of the operation had already been the subject of a criminal case, with its leader receiving a five-year prison sentence.
Key Facts of Bensoussan’s Case:
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Player | Samuel Bensoussan (French, 34 years old, born November 18, 1991) |
| Original Ban | 1 year and 11 months |
| Extended Ban | 3 years |
| Date of Decision | Wednesday, July 15, 2026 (ITIA confirmation) |
| Reason for Ban | Match-fixing in singles and doubles matches at lower-level tournaments |
| Involved Syndicate | Belgian-based organised crime syndicate linked to fixing at least 375 matches involving 181 players |
| Financial Penalty | CAS declined to order repayment of €1,000 alleged to have been received for fixing one match |
| Career-High Ranking | ATP Singles No. 405 (June 2018) |
This extension underscores the ongoing commitment of tennis authorities to combat match manipulation, particularly within the sport’s lower echelons where players may be more susceptible to external pressures. The ITIA continues its efforts to investigate and prosecute integrity violations across all levels of professional tennis.