The tennis police are at it again, fining Russian player, Ekaterina Bychkova, $5,000 and barring her from playing for 30 days for match-fixing claims, which will keep the 123rd ranked player from participating in the Australian Open this month.
Last week, the Tennis Integrity Unit handed down the fine and suspension. The anti-corruption unit said Bychkova failed to report that she was asked to provide inside information and throw matches, even though officials said there was no evidence Bychkova accepted any compensation. She was penalized because she didn’t disclose the offer until being questioned by investigators from the Tennis Integrity Unit.
Tennis Hall of Famer, John McEnroe, criticized the handling for match-fixing claims Monday, saying the suspension does not make sense. McEnroe called match-fixing a “huge concern” for tennis and said Bychkova was suspended after turning down an illegal approach, which might dissuade other players from being honest.
“It’s one of these cockamamie rules again that I’ve been railing against, that doesn’t necessarily make a whole lot of sense to me,” said McEnroe, who also works as a TV commentator. (See below for a humorous take on how McEnroe might have reacted to being approached by match-fixers.)
In November, 2009, the tennis police went after No. 18 ranked Belgian tennis player, Yanina Wickmayer, who was given a one-year suspension from competition in November, 2009, by the Flemish National Doping Organization for failing on three occasions to report her whereabouts in line with World Anti-Doping Agency policies, even though she never missed a doping test and never failed one. Wickmayer later appealed the suspension, and a Belgian civil court lifted the ban and the International Tennis Federation said she was now free to return to the women’s tour.
Now it is Bychkova who has been fined and suspended. Last season’s French Open champion, World No 3 fellow Russian, 
Svetlana Kuznetsova, said she had ânever heardâ of the rule saying that approaches must be reported. âI donât know exactly the thing going on with her, and definitely I will ask and go deeper into the subject because I think itâs very important,â she said. âIf people come to me and ask something, I say no â I didnât know I had to go and report the approach. Maybe she didnât know either, so how can we say she is guilty? I donât understand that.â
Kuznetsova was extremely cautious about whether or not she had been approached to fix a match. âWell, you know, if I say yes they are going to send me home. I donât know. Approaches can be different. You can think itâs a joke but maybe somebody else thinks it can be for real. You might not get if itâs an approach or not. Do I have to go and tell the WTA every joke I get about an approach? You never know. I think we just need a better explanation about that,â she said.
ESPN SportsCenter said “Big Mac has been critical of the tennis officials since his playing days and we appreciate the fact that he’s interested in seeing tennis played with honor. If it was McEnroe that was approached by match-fixers, and not Bychkova, we bet the whole situation would have went down differently.” Here is how they see it going down:
Match-Fixer: Hey you, with the curly hair and headband. Can we talk over here in this abandoned alley?
McEnroe: You want to talk to me in an abandoned alley? You cannot be serious! I won seven Grand Slams buddy. I don’t talk in alleys.
Match-Fixer: Fine, we’ll do it here. I’ve got an interested third-party that would like to see you lose your match tomorrow against Jimmy Connors.
McEnroe: You want me to throw my match? You cannot be serious!
Match-Fixer: Oh, I’m serious, Mr. McEnroe. $50,000 serious.
McEnroe: You cannot be serious!
Match-Fixer: You really like that expression, don’t you?
From there, McEnroe takes out his racket and chases the match-fixer down the alley ridding this fictional scene of all evil-doers. The very next day the Tennis Integrity Unit awards Johnny Mac the first ever Integrity Award. As you might expect, New York’s finest reacts accordingly.
