Serbian Tennis Player Stefan Milićević Banned for 24 Years Over Match-Fixing

Serbian Tennis Player Stefan Milićević Receives 24-Year Ban – ITIA Imposes Severe Penalties Over Match-Fixing Network

Key Takeaways

• The International Tennis Integrity Agency issued a 24-year ban and a $70,000 fine to Serbian player Stefan Milićević.
• Investigations confirmed the player fixed six matches and attempted to manipulate six others between 2022 and 2024.
• Milićević actively recruited other professionals into an organized match-fixing network.
• The player failed to respond to seven official contact attempts during the 2026 inquiry.

ITIA investigation uncovers extensive multi-year corruption network

The International Tennis Integrity Agency identified a sustained pattern of anti-corruption violations connected to 29-year-old Serbian tennis player Stefan Milićević. Officials confirmed that the player successfully manipulated the outcomes of six different professional matches between 2022 and 2024. Milićević directly competed in five of those fixed events during that time period. The inquiry found evidence that he attempted to manipulate an additional six matches while the initial schemes were operational.

The scope of the violations extended significantly beyond his personal participation in match manipulation on the court. The agency determined that Milićević actively recruited other professional tennis players into an established corrupt network. He attempted to bring multiple individuals into this system to facilitate match-fixing across various official tournaments. The exact number of individuals involved in this specific ring remains unspecified by the regulatory body at this time.

Complete absence of cooperation triggers deemed-sanction procedure

The disciplinary process faced significant administrative hurdles due to the player completely ignoring the regulatory body. Investigators spent the entirety of 2026 trying to gather information and communicate with the individual regarding the match-fixing allegations. Agency officials documented seven separate attempts to contact Milićević through multiple communication channels. The former player, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of 1,338 in August 2014, never responded to any of these extensive outreach efforts.

The agency moved forward with formal charges immediately after concluding the initial evidence-gathering phase. Officials issued a Notice of Major Offence on 24 September 2026 outlining the specific anti-corruption violations. Milićević ignored this formal notification just as he had ignored the previous communications.

This total lack of engagement forced the agency to bypass standard disciplinary hearing protocols. Regulators applied their formal deemed-sanction procedure to resolve the outstanding case. This specific administrative route allows the governing body to impose heavy penalties when an accused party completely fails to participate in the disciplinary process. The procedure directly resulted in the lengthy multi-decade ban and the $70,000 monetary penalty.

Global tennis organizations enforce comprehensive access restrictions

The structural penalties completely remove the player from all levels of professional and sanctioned tennis for more than two decades. The suspension officially took effect on 9 October 2026 following the deemed-sanction ruling. It will remain continuously active until 8 October 2050, at which point Milićević will be 53 years old.

Enforcement of this comprehensive ban spans across all major governing bodies operating in the sport. The ruling explicitly prohibits Milićević from playing in or coaching at any officially recognized competitive events. He cannot attend tournaments organized by the International Tennis Federation or any national tennis associations globally.

The restriction applies equally to all events sanctioned by the Women’s Tennis Association and the Association of Tennis Professionals. Access to all four Grand Slam tournaments is entirely blocked under the strict terms of this suspension. These unified restrictions ensure the player cannot participate in the tennis industry in any professional capacity.

Recent enforcement actions highlight sustained regulatory pressure

The current ruling aligns perfectly with a broader pattern of strict disciplinary actions executed by the integrity agency. Regulators frequently utilize extended bans as their primary operational tool to combat match-fixing in the sport. The agency executed a highly similar crackdown last year focusing heavily on a separate corruption case based in Belgium.

That previous international investigation resulted in simultaneous bans and suspensions for five different individuals. The agency sanctioned Yannick Thivant, Thomas Brechemier, Gabriel Petit, Thomas Setodji, and Hugo Daubias for their distinct roles in the corruption network. Regulators handed Thivant a permanent lifetime ban from the sport due to his level of involvement. Officials combined that permanent expulsion with a substantial $75,000 financial penalty.

Our Assessment

The 24-year suspension issued to Stefan Milićević demonstrates the strict application of anti-corruption regulations across professional tennis. Regulators utilize the deemed-sanction procedure to guarantee that non-cooperation does not prevent the enforcement of major penalties. The explicit coordination between the ITIA, ATP, WTA, and Grand Slam organizations ensures that suspended individuals cannot bypass restrictions by moving between different operational jurisdictions. The consistent issuance of multi-decade and lifetime bans establishes a clear framework for handling organized match-fixing networks in the sport.