Milanov has been charged with 17 breaches of the ITIA Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP). His ban will be in effect from the date of the decision (28 December 2023) until 27 December 2039.
The charges are related to five tennis matches that Milanov umpired in 2021. The specific breaches identified by the ITIA include:
- Five breaches of Section D.1.b of the 2021 TACP, which involves facilitating or encouraging others to bet on the outcome of an event.
- Five breaches of Section D.1.m of the TACP, which pertains to delaying or manipulating scoring data entry.
- Five breaches of Section D.1.n, which encompasses attempting, agreeing to, or conspiring to commit corruption offences.
- Two breaches of Section F.2.b of the 2023 TACP, which refers to the failure to fully cooperate with ITIA investigations.
Milanov, a national-level official, did not respond to the charges. Hence, the ITIA considers his lack of response as an admission of liability and acceptance of the imposed sanctions.
The ban applies to all tennis events authorized or sanctioned by ITIA members. Additionally, Milanov is required to pay a fine of $75,000 (£58,982/€68,523).
Milanov’s current ban follows a six-month suspension in 2022 for betting offences. He admitted to all identified breaches at that time, including placing bets on matches he officiated.
In another case, French tennis player Leny Mitjana has also been banned by the ITIA for corruption and match-fixing offences. He will serve a 10-year ban until December 2033.
These recent actions by the ITIA are part of ongoing efforts to address rule violations in tennis.
