A Bolivian tennis official, Heriberto Morales Churata, received a six-year suspension from his duties due to match-fixing allegations. The ITIA, or International Tennis Integrity Agency, determined Churata altered match results during the 2021 and 2022 ITF World Tennis Tour. Authorities discovered Churata inputting false scores into his electronic scoring device, likely to profit from wagers placed on the matches.
Churata’s suspension commenced on December 8, 2022, and extends until December 7, 2028. He is also mandated to pay a $10,000 penalty. Throughout the duration of his suspension, Churata is barred from attending any tennis competition sanctioned by the ITIA.
This situation underscores the ITIA’s dedication to preserving ethical conduct in the sport and their unwavering stance against any form of dishonesty, regardless of whether it involves athletes or officials. This occurrence follows a comparable incident from the preceding year, in which Bulgarian umpire Stefan Milanov encountered penalties for his participation in wagering on tennis matches.