Serbian tennis player Stefan Milicevic has been handed a 24-year ban from tennis after being found responsible for a series of match-fixing offences and involvement in a network that recruited other professional players to manipulate matches. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the punishment on Thursday, October 15, bringing serious consequences for the 29-year-old following an investigation into corruption in professional tennis.
According to the ITIA, Milicevic fixed six matches between 2022 and 2024, including five matches in which he competed himself. He also attempted to manipulate the outcomes of six additional matches during the same period. The investigation further found that he recruited, or attempted to recruit, multiple professional tennis players into what the agency described as a corrupt network.
The case has attracted attention because it involves not only the alleged manipulation of individual matches but also efforts to involve other players in the scheme. Match-fixing remains one of the most serious integrity concerns in professional tennis, with authorities working to protect fair competition and maintain public confidence in the sport.
Stefan Milicevic match-fixing case: What happened?
The ITIA’s findings point to a pattern of activity that allegedly extended beyond isolated incidents. Between 2022 and 2024, Milicevic was found to have fixed six matches and attempted to fix six more, according to the agency’s announcement.
Five of the six fixed matches involved Milicevic playing as a competitor. The remaining fixed match, along with the six attempted fixes, formed part of the wider case examined by the integrity body.
The ITIA also stated that Milicevic was charged with recruiting or attempting to recruit several professional players into the network. According to the agency, this activity resulted in other players fixing matches as part of the wider operation.
The recruitment aspect makes the case particularly significant. Match-fixing can extend beyond a single player deliberately losing a match or manipulating a particular game. It can involve coordinated efforts to influence sporting outcomes, potentially drawing additional players into illegal betting-related activity or other forms of corruption.
However, the agency’s announcement does not establish that every player approached by Milicevic participated in wrongdoing. The findings concerning other individuals depend on the evidence and disciplinary outcomes relating to their respective cases.
Why has Stefan Milicevic received a 24-year ban?
The ITIA imposed a 24-year suspension on Milicevic, alongside a financial penalty of $70,000, equivalent to approximately €62,400 as stated in the announcement.
The length of the suspension reflects the seriousness of the violations established in the disciplinary case. Match-fixing undermines the basic principle that every player must compete to win within the rules. It can also damage the credibility of tournament results, create unfair advantages for bettors and expose other players to pressure to participate in corrupt activity.
According to the ITIA, Milicevic did not engage or cooperate with the investigation. The agency included his lack of cooperation in its announcement, although the available information does not provide a complete breakdown of how each factor contributed to the final punishment.
His suspension is scheduled to end on October 8, 2050. By that date, Milicevic will be 53 years old, meaning the ban is likely to prevent him from returning to professional tennis during the remaining years of a typical competitive playing career.
The combination of a lengthy suspension and a substantial fine sends a strong message about the potential consequences of violating tennis integrity rules.
What was Stefan Milicevic’s highest ATP ranking?
Milicevic reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 1,338. Although that ranking placed him far outside the sport’s leading players, the disciplinary case demonstrates that match-fixing concerns are not limited to the biggest names or the highest levels of the game.
Professional tennis includes a broad competitive structure, ranging from major international tournaments to lower-level events where players may face significant financial challenges. Integrity authorities monitor competitions across this structure because suspicious activity at any level can threaten the credibility of the sport.
Players competing outside the top rankings often face travel expenses, coaching costs, accommodation bills and other costs associated with maintaining a professional career. These pressures are frequently discussed in connection with the wider vulnerability of lower-ranked players to corruption. However, financial pressure alone does not prove wrongdoing in an individual case, and the ITIA’s findings against Milicevic must be understood on the basis of the violations established in the proceedings.
The case also highlights why integrity monitoring extends beyond headline tournaments. Every professional match contributes to the wider tennis ecosystem, and maintaining consistent rules is essential to protecting players, tournaments and fans.
What are the restrictions during Milicevic’s suspension?
The ITIA confirmed that Milicevic will be prohibited from participating in events organised or sanctioned by the sport’s major governing bodies and national associations while his suspension remains in force.
Under the restrictions announced by the agency, he cannot play in, coach at or attend events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Grand Slam tournaments or any national tennis association.
These conditions extend beyond competing on court. The prohibition on coaching and attending covered events limits his ability to remain involved in sanctioned tennis activities during the suspension.
Such restrictions are intended to ensure that disciplinary sanctions have practical consequences and that individuals serving bans cannot continue participating in the sport through alternative roles at covered events.
The suspension will remain in place until October 8, 2050, unless there is a relevant change to the disciplinary outcome under the applicable procedures.
How does match-fixing affect professional tennis?
Match-fixing poses a serious threat to the credibility of competitive sport. Tennis is particularly vulnerable to certain forms of manipulation because individual matches and specific in-match outcomes can attract betting interest. Attempts to influence the result, a set or another defined event can undermine fair competition and create opportunities for corrupt betting activity.
When players manipulate matches, spectators may no longer be able to trust that the contest they are watching is being decided purely by sporting performance. Honest competitors can also be disadvantaged, while tournament organisers and governing bodies face reputational damage.
The ITIA works to investigate suspected corruption and enforce tennis integrity rules. Its work includes disciplinary proceedings involving match-fixing, betting-related offences and other breaches of the sport’s integrity framework.
Cases involving recruitment are especially concerning because they can extend the potential impact beyond the individual accused. If players are approached to participate in a corrupt scheme, the investigation may need to examine communications, match records and other available evidence to determine the extent of the activity.
The Milicevic case underlines the importance of reporting suspicious approaches and maintaining clear integrity standards throughout professional tennis. Players, officials and other participants have a role in protecting the sport from corruption.
What happens next in the Stefan Milicevic case?
The most significant consequence is the duration of the suspension. With the ban scheduled to run until October 8, 2050, Milicevic faces more than two decades away from sanctioned tennis under the terms announced by the ITIA.
The $70,000 fine adds a financial penalty to the sporting restrictions. The case also serves as a warning to players who might consider manipulating match outcomes or encouraging others to become involved in similar activity.
The ITIA’s announcement makes clear that the investigation concerned six fixed matches, six attempted match fixes and alleged recruitment activity connected to a wider corrupt network. Milicevic’s failure to cooperate with the investigation was also highlighted by the agency.
For tennis authorities, the broader challenge is to identify suspicious activity, investigate credible allegations and apply disciplinary measures that protect fair competition. For players, the case reinforces the potential career-ending consequences of corruption offences.
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