Moscow: Media reports that leading tennis players were allegedly involved in fix-up matches are absurd, former women’s World No.1 Dinara Safina has said.
Last month BBC as well as BuzzFeed News reported that over the last decade players, who had been ranked among the world’s top 50, including winners of Grand Slam titles, were involved in match-fixing, reports Tass.
“I do not know why British media kicked up a row,” Safina said on Thursday.
“It seems that they are living in some sort of a cycle and have an urge of coming up with something scandalous once in half a year. Perhaps, they (BBC) were in need to improve their ratings.”
“However, accusations of match-fixing against leading tennis players are totally absurd,” she said.
“This is an individual sport and everyone wants to win. No one wants to take the risk, not mentioning if you come from the Top 100. If you get caught, it is the end of your career.”
“We were prohibited from even talking to bookmakers,” Safina addd.
“In WTA (Women Tennis Association) we were told that anyone caught (in fix-up matches) would be immediately disqualified. This is why we were literarily recoiled from the bookmakers.”
“I am sure that the scandal flared up out of nothing and appeared only for the sake of hype,” the 2008 Olympic silver medalist added.
