A Serbian tennis player, Stefan Milicevic, has received a staggering 24-year suspension from the sport due to match-fixing, marking one of the harshest penalties outside of a lifetime ban. Milicevic, who achieved a career-high ranking of 1,338th in 2014, was implicated in fixing six matches, five of which he participated in.

The 29-year-old athlete, who competed mainly on lower-tier circuits, also faced charges for attempting to fix an additional six matches between 2022 and 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) reported that Milicevic was involved in recruiting multiple professional players as part of a corrupt network, further complicating his case.

Key points include:

• Lack of cooperation: Milicevic did not engage with the investigation despite seven attempts by the ITIA to contact him.
• Financial penalties: Alongside his suspension, he has been fined £53,000.
• Long-term ban: He will be barred from participating in any tennis events until his ban concludes in October 2050, when he will be 53 years old.

During his suspension, Milicevic is prohibited from playing, coaching, or attending any events sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, or any national association.

In a related case, Quentin Folliot, a French player, was banned for 20 years for his involvement in a match-fixing network, highlighting ongoing corruption issues within the sport.