Former tennis player Nick Lindahl banned for match-fixing

Former tennis player Nick Lindahl banned for match-fixing Australian former tennis player Nick Lindahl has been banned for seven years and fined $35,000 (£28,000; A$47,700) for match-fixing.The Tennis Integrity Unit said Lindahl plotted to throw a match at a minor Australian tournament in 2013. Two other Australian players, Brandon Walkin and Isaac Frost, were also disciplined over the incident.

It comes days after Australian Open junior champion Oliver Anderson was charged with match-fixing.

Last year, a joint BBC/Buzzfeed investigation alleged the TIU failed to act on suspicions that 16 top-50 ranked players have been involved in match-fixing.

Banned from events

Lindahl, 28, achieved a career-high ranking of 187 in singles before retiring in 2013.

The TIU, which is responsible for policing tennis, said the offence happened at the Australian F6 Tournament in Toowoomba, Queensland.

"He was found guilty of charges of contriving or attempting to contrive the outcome of an event, and failing to co-operate with a TIU investigation," it said in a statement.

The penalty means Lindahl will not be able to resume his international playing career or attend official tennis events for seven years, the TIU said.

He had already been fined A$1,000 by a court in New South Wales last year.

Walkin, 22, was handed a six-month suspension for "passing a corrupt proposal to another party" on behalf of Lindahl.

But the 1,066-ranked player is free to compete after his penalty was suspended for six months, subject to further breaches.

Frost, 28 and ranked 1,515, refused to hand over his mobile phone during the investigation. He will not be further penalised after serving a provisional suspension between October 2013 and September 2014.