Timur Khabibulin Banned for Life for Match Fixing

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Committing corruption has killed Timur Khabibulin’s aggressive profession.

Khabibulin, who reached an ATP career-high doubles rank of No. 154, has been banned from tennis for all times and fined $60,000 for a number of match-fixing acts. Khabibulin was discovered responsible for 21 particular person prices regarding match fixing between 2014 and 2019, the International Tennis Integrity Agency introduced at the moment.

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The ban means the 28-year-old from Kazakhstan is prohibited from enjoying in, teaching at, or attending any tennis occasion “authorized or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or any national association,” the ITIA stated. 

Khabibulin’s final professional match was a qualifying loss in an ITF Challenger in his native Kazakhstan in July of 2022.

Sanjar Fayziev from Uzbekistan has been banned for 3 years and 6 months, with six months suspended, and fined $15,000 after being discovered responsible of match fixing prices. Fayziev, who additionally attained an ATP doubles rank of No. 154, was discovered responsible for 5 prices relating to 2 matches in 2018.

Israel’s Igor Smilansky has been banned for 2 years and hit with a $4,000 superb, with $1,000 suspended. Former world No. 451 Smilansky was discovered liable for 3 corruption prices relating to 1 match in 2018.

The ITA stated sanctions will start from the date of the gamers’ provisional suspensions on July twenty fifth, 2023 which implies Fayziev will probably be suspended till July  twenty fourth, 2026 and Smilansky will probably be suspended till July twenty fourth, 2025 (topic to their fines being paid or reimbursement schemes agreed).

Photo credit score: Mark Peterson/Corleve