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ATP to protect itself from match-fixing

REUTERS, London
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) plans to build a 'firewall' between itself and the betting industry in a bid to contain the threat of match-rigging and internet gambling.
The governing body of the men's tour intends to pull inside this barrier anyone who gets a tournament credential, whether that person is a player's guest, friend, a medic, a member of the media or even a VIP.
"There are plenty of people who can walk into a players' lounge and see someone throwing up or reattaching a right leg," an ATP spokesman said on Wednesday. "Information like that can easily be passed on and used."
The ATP is aware that gambling scandals have battered the image of other sports and has been aware for some time of reports of irregular betting patterns in tennis.
Two months ago, the men's game was rocked by allegations of match-fixing and an investigation was immediately launched by the ATP into the state of men's professional tennis.
There were suggestions of insider dealing in information about players' form and fitness and ATP head Mark Miles, at the time, warned of severe penalties for anyone violating rules on gambling.
Bookmakers had suspended betting on a first-round match between Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Spaniard Fernando Vicente in Lyon in October six hours before it was due to start after receiving bets from "marked accounts".
Although there was no suggestion that either player was involved in wrongdoing, according to the Racing Post a huge worldwide gamble was made on Vicente, who won 6-2 6-3.
The Spaniard had not won since June, losing 11 first-round matches until Lyon. His odds were reduced from 7-2 to odds-on favourite on one of the Internet betting exchanges.
However the ATP, aware that accredited tennis journalists are in a position to provide information for bets, may refuse more applications for credentials in future.
The governing body has also been taking legal advice on the best way to impose rules, which penalise credential holders who are caught passing on information.
The severity of possible punishments could, however, act as a deterrent.
A rule introduced in 2001 empowered the ATP to impose three-year bans and fines of up to $100,000, plus the amount involved in a wager, on any player whose coach, trainer or family became connected with betting scandals.