From a few years ago until today, this issue became commonplace in sports. The “fashion” of sports bets It is a business that is not only growing more and more, but with the advancement of technology it is something that is already naturalized by sports entities. Various cases can be mentioned in the world as well as in our country, such as River Plate, which has a betting house on your t-shirt (Codere) or body like the AFA with Bplay as sponsor.
The world of tennis is no stranger. Gambling not only leads some to make wrong decisions with their financial lives but also corrupts, in some cases, the honesty of athletes. Today’s protagonist is punished precisely for that.
Born in Olavarría, Eduardo Agustín Torre was suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for five years for violating “35 rules of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.” Torre, who reached his best individual ranking (596th) in September 2014, thus becomes the sixth Argentine sanctioned for violating tennis’ anti-corruption rules.
Why tennis player Agustín Torre was sanctioned for 5 years
Torre’s suspension It will be valid until April 25, 2029. During this time, you will not be able to participate in any ITIA sanctioned tennis events. The sanction relates to a match-fixing organization in Belgium, led by Grigor Sargsyan, nicknamed “Maestro”, who received a five-year prison sentence. The ITIA specified that Torre’s violations included:
- Betting facilitation.
- Manipulation of match results.
- Request for money or benefits to influence results.
- Failure to report corrupt attempts.
- Failure to report corruption crimes.
Torre’s case, linked to crimes committed in 2017, was investigated after completing the criminal process in Belgium. Sargsyan, of Armenian origin, ran his operation from Brussels and had an extensive network for manipulating tennis matches globally. Torre did not respond to the allegations, resulting in a $35,000 fine and his implied admission of liability.
In any case, the athlete can be considered a former tennis player because even though the sanction was issued in April of this year, the one who used to play on clay courts has not played since 2018, completely changing his destiny.
Change of sport: what Agustín Torre does now
After leaving tennis, Agustín Torre He found a new direction in paddle tennis. Currently, he lives in Mexico and competes professionally on the A1 Pádel circuit, where he is ranked number 7.
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As luck would have it, Torre managed to successfully integrate into the world of paddle tennis, representing the Central Pádel Saltillo team. His experience in tennis allowed him to adapt quickly and excel in this discipline. This change has not only given him a new sporting career, but has also allowed him to continue competing at a high international level, despite his ban from tennis.
Tennis Anti-Corruption Program: other Argentine tennis players sanctioned
Agustín Torre’s sanction joins the list of Argentine tennis players punished by the ITIA for violating the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. Among them are:
- Patrick Heras
- Nicholas Kicker
- Federico Coria
- Franco Feitt
- Nicolas Arreche
These sanctions have had a considerable impact on the Argentine tennis community, underscoring the need for strict measures to combat corruption in the sport. The ITIA has intensified its efforts to eliminate these practices, working in collaboration with international authorities to ensure the integrity of tennis worldwide.
Agustin Torre
“I have a beautiful memory of my career. I was able to travel all over the world, have very high results and I am happy. I see guys who played the same tournaments as me and who are in the top 100, like the Chilean Nicolás Jarry. I was in competition with Juan Ignacio Londero, Diego Schwartzman, and several training sessions with Juan Martín del Potro and Juan Mónaco. I got to face Horacio Zeballos in doubles. I was number 1 in Argentina at one point (in Sub 18),” Torre shared in 2019 with Radio Olavarría.
These words reflected the duality of his tennis experience: on the one hand, the achievements and camaraderie of the sport, and on the other, the consequences of his actions off the court.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
