[bigboydan]

I think this is going too far now. The cops shouldn't be questioning his wife.

Davydenko wife questioned in tennis probe

Former Scotland Yard detectives working for the governing body of men's tennis flew to Frankfurt to interview Nikolay Davydenko's wife and brother about the match-fixing allegations against the world No4.

The investigators are leading the Association of Tennis Professionals' inquiry into the Russian's retirement through injury from a second-round match against the Argentinian world No74 Martín Vassallo Argüello in the Poland Open in August. The online betting exchange Betfair declared void $7.3m (£3.5m) of bets on that match after identifying suspicious patterns of gambling.

Davydenko's lawyer, Professor Frank Immenga of the firm Bird & Bird, said the detectives had questioned the player's wife about his ability to withstand pain. They had followed this line of inquiry because Davydenko had previously received prolonged treatment for the foot injury that provoked his withdrawal.

The fact-finding trip to Frankfurt on Monday was instigated after the Russian refused to volunteer records of all telephones owned or used by him when asked to do so under the ATP's anti-corruption rules. The organisation had demanded that the records be delivered within seven days. Davydenko, on legal advice, refused to cooperate. He has always denied any match-fixing.

"The ATP sent my client the telephone request when he was playing at the US Open," said Immenga. "He had to provide within seven days records of all telephones owned and used by him."

Immenga's advice was that the ATP's request contravened data protection laws since it would mean offering records of telephones belonging to family and friends. "He is a professional sportsman. He doesn't have his own mobile phone. He has a manager who does this for him," said the lawyer.

The dispute over the legality of the investigation has been referred to the ATP-appointed anti-corruption hearing officer in Switzerland, who must rule whether there is sufficient evidence to charge Davydenko. If found guilty of match fixing he could face a life ban. Lawyers for the ATP will state that all participants in the sport agree to abide by its regulations and therefore waive specific rights to data protection.

While he waits for the hearing officer's verdict Immenga has demanded a moratorium on the investigation. "I have asked for this to stop until December 31 and then the hearing officer can decide whether they should continue or not," he said. "Nikolay is under economic and mental pressure. He has done everything he could; he and his wife and brother have talked to the investigation. Now they have been investigating for four months they have the names of the accounts of everyone who has bet on this."

Immenga claimed the ATP's investigators had told him that among the account-holders to have bet against Davydenko in the match against Vassallo were nine people based in Russia. He said the nine stood to make £725,000 from Davydenko's failure, adding that another two account-holders whose location was not known had increased that figure to £3.3m.

Betfair refused to comment on specific accounts yesterday and the ATP declined to confirm specific details of its investigation or the methods used. "Honesty and integrity are critical in our sport," said an ATP spokesman. "This is why we are engaged in a serious, comprehensive and thorough independent investigation to ascertain whether anything of concern took place."

The latest developments with Davydenko emerged only 24 hours after Germany's No1, Tommy Haas, said he suspected that he had been deliberately poisoned during a Davis Cup semi-final tie in Russia in September.

Betting player banned

Italy's world No124 Alessio Di Mauro, 30, has received a lengthy ban from tennis for betting on the sport, according to the Italian newspaper La Stampa yesterday. The sanction came after the ATP challenged him about an account he holds with an online betting company. His coach, Fabio Rizzo, said his bets had typically been between €15-€20 a time, totalling €6,000-€7,000, but that he had not been aware of the sport's rules on betting. "He has erred through ignorance and naivety," Rizzo was quoted as saying. Di Mauro was quoted admitting to betting but "not on matches and tournaments in which I was involved". The ATP would not confirm the ban.

[jon13009]

I guess the ATP is going to make it clear that they mean business; however unless they find a paper trail linking him to the money, I am not sure there is anything the ATP can do.

I think the Di Mauro suspension is a more interesting take on things because this is an example to the lesser ranked players not to bet on the matches.

I wonder what book Di Mauro was using.

[bigdog3580]

I wish I could be in some of these fixes so I can make some $$$.

[jon13009]

Used to be easy: Take the dog against Russian players at low-level events.

Now with the crackdown, things are a bit more difficult.

[BigBollocks]

I appreciate the efforts, and look forward to more people stepping forward in the future. Tennis is such a great sport, and we've all known this has been going on for years. Davydenko's a scum and lowlife who continues to disgrace the sport every time he comes on the court....

[bigboydan]

I appreciate the efforts, and look forward to more people stepping forward in the future.

I don't think they will unless the cops literally put them into a really tight spot, and even then I wouldn't think they would BB.

[moses millsap]

Used to be easy: Take the dog against Russian players at low-level events.

Now with the crackdown, things are a bit more difficult.

You forgot "...and Argentine" after "Russian" in your statement

[jon13009]

Looks like the ATP has backed off, but it is clear Davydenko is a player to be avoided......
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ATP upholds Davydenko appeal, $2,000 fine rescinded
By PAUL ALEXANDER, Associated Press Writer
November 13, 2007

SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- The ATP has dropped a $2,000 fine imposed on fourth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko for "lack of best effort" during a 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 loss to Marin Cilic at St. Petersburg last month.

Davydenko, also at the center of an ongoing investigation into unusual betting patterns during a loss to Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina at the Poland Open in August, had appealed the fine for a code violation.

"Following an extensive review of the match between Nikolay Davydenko and Martin Cilic that included a full video analysis, it was decided that Davydenko's appeal should be upheld and the US$2,000 fine rescinded," Gayle David Bradshaw, the ATP's executive vice president for rules and competition, said in a statement Tuesday.

Davydenko has blamed his poor performance on exhaustion. With one of the heaviest annual schedules of any player, the 26-year-old Russian has said he plans to cut back next year because he feels his body is breaking down.

Davydenko's fairly low profile, despite his ranking, has vanished since the ATP began investigating his loss to Arguello. Betfair, an online gambling company, voided all bets on the match after unusually large amounts were wagered on the lowly ranked Argentine throughout the contest, even after he lost the first set 6-1. Davydenko retired with an injury in the third set.

Since then, several players -- none in the higher rankings -- have reported being approached and offered money to fix matches.

Davydenko also was jeered by the crowd -- and criticized by the chair umpire -- while committing 10 double faults in a straight-set loss to Marcos Baghdatis in Paris.

He said Monday, after losing to Andy Roddick in three sets in a round-robin match at the season-ending Masters Cup, that he wishes he could go back to being out of the media spotlight.

"That was better," Davydenko said.

Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns

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