Professional tennis has issued one of the longest suspensions in the history of the sport's anti-corruption oversight. Stefan Milicevic, a 29-year-old athlete from Serbia, has received a 24-year ban following an exhaustive investigation into widespread match manipulation.

The penalty was handed down by the International Tennis Integrity Authority, the independent body responsible for policing professional tennis. Investigators determined that Milicevic was involved in fixing six separate matches, actively competing in five of them. He was also found to have attempted to manipulate another six matches over a two-year period spanning from 2022 to 2024.

According to findings released by the integrity agency, the misconduct extended beyond individual match manipulation. Milicevic was additionally accused of building a corrupt network by recruiting other professional players into illicit match-fixing schemes. Several athletes allegedly enlisted by the Serbian player are now facing their own disciplinary proceedings for fixing matches.

The unusually lengthy duration of the punishment reflects both the volume of offenses and a complete refusal by the player to assist investigators. Officials noted that Milicevic ignored seven separate attempts by the integrity body to establish communication during the inquiry.

Alongside the exclusion from the sport, Milicevic was ordered to pay a financial penalty of £53,000. He will be barred from professional tennis until October 2050, at which point he will be 53 years old. The sweeping restrictions forbid him from playing in, coaching at, or even attending any sanctioned tournament around the globe, including Grand Slam events, tour-level competitions, and national association matches.

Milicevic's career on the lower-tier International Tennis Federation circuit began more than a decade ago, with his highest singles ranking reaching 1,338th globally in 2014. He competed across 22 professional tournaments between 2013 and 2023, primarily playing on the developmental rungs of the sport.

This case follows other recent major disciplinary actions targeting organized corruption within the lower tiers of professional tennis. In December, French competitor Quentin Folliot received a 20-year suspension after being identified as a key operator within a match-fixing syndicate. While Folliot contested the accusations against him, an independent hearing upheld dozens of charges tied to more than a dozen fixed matches.

The integrity body continues to monitor lower-tier circuits closely, where athletes often face financial pressures that make them more vulnerable to approaches from criminal betting rings. Anti-corruption officials maintain strict protocols across all levels of professional tennis to preserve the competitive integrity of the sport.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.