By Tennis Now | @TennisNow | Monday, March 10, 2025
Photo credits: Corleve/Mark Peterson
A chair umpire who repeatedly scammed the scoring system has been banned.
Dominican chair umpire Juan Gabriel Castro has been suspended six years and fined $6,000 following 12 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced today.
Castro, a national-level official, did not respond to the ITIA’s notice of charge, which related to three matches, in which the official was alleged to have manipulated scoring entry to contrive the scorecard and facilitate corruption.
Under the 2025 TACP, a ‘Deemed Sanction’ may be issued to individuals who elect not to respond to the ITIA’s investigations and arbitration process. Individuals have 10 business days to appeal the imposition of a Deemed Sanction to an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer. Castro did not appeal.
Time served under provisional suspension is credited against the period of ineligibility. Castro has been provisionally suspended since November 7, 2024, as such, their suspension will end on November 6, 2030.
During the period of ineligibility, Castro is prohibited from officiating at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.