Spanish Authorities Detain Dozens on Match-Fixing Allegations

Spanish police announced on Thursday that it has arrested 34 people allegedly involved in a match-fixing network which made money on lower-level tournaments in Spain and Portugal.

The investigation began after the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) received a tip from a player.

“Investigation of corruption allegations by law enforcement agencies takes precedence over tennis disciplinary action,” the organization told Tennis.com. “The TIU will continue to work co-operatively with (Spanish police) and offer its full support and access to resources.”

The investigation, named Operation Futures, examined multiple Futures and Challengers tournaments over the last few months. According to Spanish police, the network made more than a half-a-million dollars, and results from 17 different tournaments had evidence of match-fixing.

Of the 34 people detained, six were tennis players, with their rankings ranging from 800-1,200.