Tennis player fined and banned for seven months for betting on 220 matches

French tennis player Constant Lestienne has been banned for seven months after admitting to betting on matches. The world No.164 was punished after placing bets on 220 matches using online accounts between February 2012 and June of last year. Half of the sentence, handed out by the International Tennis Federation, will be suspended while the 24-year-old has also been fined $10,000. The ITF says none of the bets were on matches in which Lestienne played. His fine will be reduced to $5,000 if he assists the Tennis Integrity Unit, which was formed in 2008 by the ATP, WTA, ITF and Grand Slam Committee.

The suspension applies with immediate effect and means the player is not allowed to compete in, or attend, any tournament or event organised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of the sport

TIU statement

Earlier this year Lestienne had his French Open wildcard withdrawn after he was placed under a corruption investigation. Letienne, who plays mostly on the second-tier Challenger circuit, was poised to make his debut in the main draw of the tournament at Roland Garros. He has captured one ATP Challenger title in Ostrava as well as one ITF Future title in France this season and made the the semi-finals of the Pekao Szczecin Open last week.

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