The Tennis Federation of the Republic of Moldova didn’t organize and didn’t take part in the fixing of national or international tennis matches, the Federation’s president Elena Organ assured in reaction to a press release issued by the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) on November 29, which said that four persons, one of whom is a coach of the Tennis Federation, are suspected of fixing a number of tennis matches in the country and abroad.
In a news conference at IPN, Elena Organ said the four persons investigated by the National Anticorruption Center are not employees of the Tennis Federation and do not hold posts at this. Currently, the Federation has only one licensed tennis coach and this is not the coach who was arrested by the NAC.
According to the president of the Tennis Federation, it is for now too early to open an internal inquiry. If the Federation’s administration is notified by the NAC or any other law enforcement agency, it will examine the case from all angles. “Even if there are or there are no persons who are somehow related to the Tennis Federation involved in this case, in the meeting of the Federal Bureau in a week, we will discuss the issue. We will make effort to draw up more severe internal regulations to govern the activity of all those involved in the management or practicing of this kind of sport,” stated Elena Organ.
The Tennis Federation of the Republic of Moldova is a public association that monitors and contributes to developing tennis in Moldova, records and communicates the sports results of tennis players at national and international levels, but does not take part and does not bear responsibility for the personal activities of tennis coaches, players and umpires.
According to Elena Organ, the Federation will not remain indifferent to the given illegalities as it disapproves of such practices not only in tennis, but also in all kinds of sports. Harsh penalties will be imposed for any action to fix matches and for bets in tennis as these affect the image of tennis and of sports in general.
