An independent review of corruption in tennis found that the sport "faces a serious integrity problem" at its lower levels — a "tsunami," according to one person interviewed — but no widespread problem at ATP, WTA and Grand Slam tournaments.
The report released Wednesday showed no coverup of improper betting or match-fixing by tennis’ governing bodies, although it did find there were "errors made and opportunities missed," Adam Lewis, a member of the three-lawyer review panel, said at a news conference in London.
There were several recommendations made, such as putting an end to the International Tennis Federation’s sale of official live scoring data; increasing transparency by making public the tournament appearance fees paid to some players; and expanding the staffing and reach of the Tennis Integrity Unit, the anti-corruption group established in 2008 after a surge of suspicious betting activity in tennis.
"Fundamental reform is required," Lewis said.
The panel called this an interim report and said a final version would be issued later this year.
The review was called for after the BBC and BuzzFeed News published reports in January 2016, alleging that tennis authorities ignored widespread evidence of match-fixing involving more than a dozen players.
The panel surveyed more than 3,200 tennis players and 200 others involved in the sport. While Lewis said the work discovered a "lamentably fertile breeding ground for breaches of integrity" at less-prominent Challenger and Futures events, there "appears to be much less of a problem at the tour and Grand Slam levels."
A joint statement issued by the ITF, ATP, WTA and the four Grand Slam tournaments — the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open — acknowledged "that there are vulnerabilities, particularly at the lower levels of tennis" and pledged to "address these concerns through firm and decisive action."
Those governing bodies said they agree "in principle" with reforms proposed by the review.
A major cause of problems, according to the report, is the live scoring data made available to betting websites since 2012.
"Whilst these deals have generated considerable funds for the sport, they have also greatly expanded the available markets for betting on the lowest levels of professional tennis," the panel wrote. "The ITF did not appropriately assess the potential adverse effects of these agreements before entering into them."
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