Dragos Nicolae Madaras is a household name on the lower tiers of professional tennis but could soon be a forgotten man after being sanctioned by the tennis watchdog.
On Thursday, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that Madaras, who was born in Romania but switched allegiance to Sweden, has been banned from playing on the pro tour for four years and six months.
Moreover, the 26-year-old has been fined a total of $2,500. Madaras is guilty of violating the rules instituted by the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
In its press release, the ITIA noted that the left-hander, who had a career-high ranking of No. 191 on the ATP Tour, refused to submit his personal device for examination even after investigators instructed him to do so.
The device, in this case, was a mobile phone, which Madaras handed over to his brother Patrick, who received an accreditation badge at an event by falsely admitting to being a sparring partner.
Patrick also did not comply when asked to provide the mobile device. Last September, the ITIA provisionally suspended Madaras on alleged corruption charges pending investigations.
He contested the charge and appeared before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) at the end of February. He was found guilty of breaching two sections of the TACP.
Dragos’ brother Patrick has no affiliation with any role in professional tennis but was deemed to have violated a section of the TACP.
Therefore, he will not be allowed to attend any tennis event authorized by the ITIA for a period of two years and six months.
But Madaras, who won a record 10 ITF titles in one season in 2023, will receive the heftier punishment for his non-compliance.
His suspension will run until February 16th, 2028. During this time, he is strictly prohibited from playing, attending, or coaching any tennis tournament regulated by the ITIA.
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