A pair of French players are provisionally suspended pending an investigation of corruption charges against them.
French players Mick Lescure and Jules Okala, have been provisionally suspended by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Charles Hollander QC, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced.
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The players appealed the initial decision of 24 March 2022 to provisionally suspend them, which was denied by AHO Hollander, and they are accordingly prohibited from competing in or attending any sanctioned tennis events organized by the governing bodies of the sport.
Lescure has a highest ATP ranking of 487 and Okala attained a career-high ATP ranking of 338 on March 2, 2020. The 24-year-old Okala last played in a Challenger in Santo Domingo retiring from his opening-round match last February.
The provisional suspension was granted under section F.3 of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program rules:
“The ITIA may at any time impose a Provisional Suspension on a Covered Person, including (i) before a Notice of Major Offense has been issued, (ii) before a Hearing or (iii) at any time after a Hearing but prior to the AHO’s issuance of a written Decision.”
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