The world of tennis has been rocked by scandal after reports of international match fixing, including at the Wimbledon Championships.
The BBC and Buzzfeed News reported allegations today that over the last ten years, 16 players ranking in the top 50, including Grand Slam winners, have been allowed to continue competing despite suspicions they have intentionally lost matches for money.
All 16 players were reported to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU).
However, these claims have been refuted in a joint statement from the TIU, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Women’s Tennis Association, the Grand Slam Board and International Tennis Federation.
Speaking at the Australian Open today, world number one Novak Djokovic revealed he has previously been offered money to lose a match on purpose, but turned it down, while Roger Federer said it is important for players to know about match fixing, and that he wants to hear names of those involved.
Executive chairman of the ATP and TIU board member Chris Kermode said: "Tennis remains fully committed to meeting the challenge that all sports face from corrupt betting practices.
"We have stringent procedures and sanctions in place to deal with any suspected corruption and have shown we will act decisively when our integrity rules are broken."
Hoardes of people turn out for Wimbledon each year, but have the matches they have queued for been fixed?
Documents revealed to the BBC and Buzzfeed News include details of a 2007 investigation by the ATP, which found betting syndicates in Russia, northern Italy and Sicily making hundreds of thousands of pounds from betting on matches that investigators had reason to believe were fixed.
Three of these matches were at Wimbledon.
The report said 28 players involved in these matches should be investigated further. However, this was never followed up as a new anti-corruption code was introduced in 2009, and legal advice suggested that previous corruption offences could not be pursued.
The documents also claim that repeated concerns have been raised to the TIU about a third of these players since 2009, but none have been disciplined.
The BBC and Buzzfeed also claim to have been given the names of other current players that the TIU have been repeatedly warned about, although they have chosen not to release them at this point.
The joint statement from the representatives of tennis argued that the report "found that tennis is not institutionally or systematically corrupt.
"However, there were intelligence indications that some players are vulnerable to corrupt approaches and there are people outside tennis who seek to corrupt those within the sport."
Defending the anti-corruption practices in tennis, the joint statement argued that since 2010 the TIU has instigated 18 successful disciplinary cases as part of anti-corruption investigations, including five players and one official who have been banned from the sport for life.
Mr Kermode said: "No player or official is immune from investigation, regardless of their status or position in the sport. Investigations follow where evidence leads.
"No player or official is ever cleared by the TIU of potential involvement in corruption. By its very nature, corruption is difficult to prove, so while the process can often be lengthy, the TIU will continue to pursue evidence where it believes it is warranted."
"We remain open and willing to upgrade any or all of the anti-corruption systems we have in place if we need to."
To read the full statement, see here.
What do you think? Let us know by commenting below, on our Facebook page or via Twitter @WimbledonNews
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here