Stefan Milicevic, a 29-year-old professional tennis player from Serbia, has been suspended from the sport for 24 years—one of the harshest penalties ever imposed by anti-corruption authorities outside of a lifetime ban—after being found to have engaged in match-fixing and recruited other players into a corrupt network.
Milicevic, who achieved a career-high ranking of 1,338th in 2014, was charged with fixing six matches, five of which he competed in personally, and with attempting to fix a further six matches between 2022 and 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) also charged him with recruiting or attempting to recruit multiple professional players as part of what investigators described as a corrupt network. Players recruited by Milicevic have themselves been accused by the ITIA of participating in match-fixing.
According to The Athletic, the case did not proceed to a formal anti-corruption hearing. Instead, after Milicevic failed to respond to a Notice of Major Offense issued on 24 September 2026, the ITIA imposed the sanction under its rules as a "deemed sanction." The severity of the punishment reflects both the nature of the match-fixing conduct and the recruitment of other players, though an ITIA representative clarified that the length was not increased specifically because of his non-cooperation with investigators.
Milicevic received a fine of $70,000 and is barred from all professional tennis activity until the suspension expires on 8 October 2050, at which point he will be 53 years old. During the ban, he cannot play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, the WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national tennis association. According to local reporting, the suspension took effect on 9 October 2026.
The ITIA made seven separate attempts to contact Milicevic during its investigation, but he did not engage with the process. This lack of cooperation contributed to the severity of the sanction, though the ITIA stated that the ban length primarily reflected the seriousness of the match-fixing and recruitment activities themselves.
Background on Milicevic's Career
Milicevic played on the lower tiers of professional tennis, competing in 22 professional tournaments on the ITF Tour between 2013 and 2023. According to The Athletic, he played 11 professional matches from 2022 to 2024, all on the circuit's third tier. The Athletic also reported that Milicevic played collegiate tennis at the University of Minnesota and later coached at DePaul University Chicago, indicating involvement in the sport at multiple levels before his involvement in match-fixing.
How Does This Compare to Other Match-Fixing Bans?
Milicevic's 24-year suspension ranks among the most severe penalties imposed by the ITIA outside of lifetime bans. In December, French player Quentin Folliot was banned for 20 years after the ITIA determined he was a central figure in a network of players operating on behalf of a match-fixing syndicate. Folliot, who reached a career-high ranking of 488 in 2022, had denied charges relating to 11 matches between 2022 and 2024, including eight in which he competed. At a hearing, 27 of the 30 charges against him were upheld, relating to 10 of the 11 matches in question.
Key Facts
- Milicevic was charged with fixing six matches and attempting to fix six more between 2022 and 2024
- The 24-year suspension, effective from 9 October 2026, is one of the longest bans imposed by the ITIA outside of lifetime bans
- He received a $70,000 fine and did not respond to the ITIA's Notice of Major Offense issued on 24 September 2026
- The ITIA made seven separate attempts to contact him during the investigation, which he did not engage with
- Milicevic is prohibited from playing, coaching, or attending any World Tennis, WTA, ATP, Grand Slam, or national association events during his suspension
