Inserisco qui, per non creare un nuovo art. su cose già note, il comunicato che ho ricevuto dall’Atp, niente che non si sapesse, salvo il fatto che dice di respingere con grandissima forza le proteste dei giocatori e della Fit (The ATP dismisses in the strongest terms claims made by both players and the Italian Federation) che asserivano che l’ATP avesse trattenuto i loro casi a lungo per tirarli fuori adesso (that the ATP had deliberately held back these cases). L’Atp ha ricevuto le informazioni che hanno portato alla condanna, nell’agosto 2007 (The ATP received the information that triggered these investigations in August 2007) a seguito di un accordo firmato nel gennaio scorso con l’ESSA, l’ associazione che riunisce le più grande socità europee di scommessevia a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the European Sports Security Association (ESSA). That MOU was signed in January 2007).
Poi l’Atp, bleffando non poco, aggiung che il Programma AntiCorruzione è stato comunicato ai giocatori costantemente, in modo non ambiguo ma chiaro e che nessuno dei giocatori o del loro staff avrebbe dovuto scommettere e non sarebbe stato mai tollerato…questo è sempre stato il caso sin dal 1990, dacchè è nato l’ATP Tour ” ha detto Pinocchio Bradshaw mentre gli si allungava vistosamente il naso (“The ATP’s Tennis Anti Corruption Program, communicated to all players on a regular basis, states clearly and unambiguously that gambling on tennis by players, associates or staff will not be tolerated. This has been the case since the Tour’s inception in 1990,” said Gayle David Bradshaw, ATP’s Executive Vice President, Rules & Competition.
Qui sotto ecco riportato il comunicato integrale che io vi ho tradotto nelle parti più nuove e significative per chi era già al corrente delle sanzioni.
Decisions in the Cases of Potito Starace and Daniele Bracciali

London, U.K. – The ATP, governing body of the men’s professional tennis circuit, announced today that Potito Starace, Italy, and Daniele Bracciali, Italy, have been found to have committed an offence under Article C.1 of the 2007 ATP Tennis Anti Corruption Program, namely wagering on the outcome or any other aspect of an ‘Event’ (tennis matches or competitions).

An ATP investigation launched in August 2007 found that Mr. Starace had wagered on tennis matches during a period dating from 21 February 2006 through 23 May 2006.

In addition, an ATP investigation launched in August 2007 found that Mr. Bracciali had wagered on tennis matches during a period dating from 17 May 2004 through 24 January 2005.

The findings in both cases were presented to the independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer, Dr. Peter Bratschi.

The independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer confirmed in the case of Potito Starace that an offence had been committed under the Tennis Anti Corruption Program and determined that Mr. Starace should be suspended from participation on the ATP Tour for a period of six weeks, commencing on 31 December 2007 and ending on 10 February 2008. Mr. Starace was also fined $30,000.

The independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer confirmed in the case of Daniele Bracciali that an offence had been committed under the Tennis Anti Corruption Program and determined that Mr. Bracciali should be suspended from participation on the ATP Tour for a period of three months, commencing on 31 December 2007 and ending on 30 March 2008. Mr. Bracciali was also fined $20,000.

The ATP dismisses in the strongest terms claims made by both players and the Italian Federation that the ATP had deliberately held back these cases. The ATP received the information that triggered these investigations in August 2007 via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the European Sports Security Association (ESSA). That MOU was signed in January 2007.

“The ATP’s Tennis Anti Corruption Program, communicated to all players on a regular basis, states clearly and unambiguously that gambling on tennis by players, associates or staff will not be tolerated. This has been the case since the Tour’s inception in 1990,” said Gayle David Bradshaw, ATP’s Executive Vice President, Rules & Competition. “The ATP will continue to use all available means to ensure that no player or support staff is betting on tennis and will instigate disciplinary proceedings against anyone found to be doing so. Not knowing the rules is not an excuse. Everyone connected to the ATP Tour has a duty to understand and respect the rules, especially those designed to protect the integrity of our sport.”

About ATP Tennis Anti Corruption Program

The ATP Tennis Anti Corruption Program was established in 2003 to police the integrity of men’s tennis. Covering all players and player associates, it prohibits wagering on any form of tennis and any attempt to affect the outcome of an ATP tennis match. Full details of the rules, sanctions and procedures are included in the ATP rule book, which can be downloaded from the About ATP section of the ATP website:

http://www.atptennis.com/en/aboutatp/organization.asp

About ATP

With 63 tournaments in 30 countries, the ATP showcases the finest athletes competing in the world’s most exciting venues. From Australia to Europe and the Americas to Asia, the stars of the South African Airways ATP Rankings and the top tandems in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race contend for prestigious titles at ATP Masters Series and other ATP tournaments. The season’s top eight singles players and doubles teams earn coveted berths at the elite Tennis Masters Cup, the circuit-ending championship held in China. For more information, please visit http://www.ATPtennis.com and http://www.masters-cup.com.

ATP media contact:

Kris Dent,

Pare che Fabio Fognini,abbia dato forfait al torneo di chennai.

i tabelloni a 56 e le finali al meglio dei tre set sono esperimenti già fatti nel 2007, senza olimpiade.

nessun cenno al tentativo di imporre (altro che influenzare il cambiamento) i round robin.

se la ristrutturazione del tour si esaurisce nel cambiamento del nome dei master series, nel cambiamento di qualche data (con amburgo e montecarlo a soffrire maledettamente) e nell’istituzione di qualche combined, allora, forse, non è così necessaria.

i tifosi, che io chiamerei appassionati, non hanno alcun bisogno di essere sollecitati: al limite, de villiers potrebbe concentrarsi sul tentativo di guadagare qualche altro appassionato; credo, però, che questo compito sia più facilmente da attribuire al rovescio di gasquet, alle vittorie di federer e di nadal ed alle giovani speranze del tennis mondiale.

a mio parere, de villiers sarà ricordato quasi solo per il caso blake/roundrobin scoppiato l’estate scorsa in america.