Dejanovic, a national-level tennis official, is currently facing charges under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP), as announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
His suspension came into effect on January 8th, preventing him from participating in or attending any professional tennis events, including those authorized or sanctioned by ITIA members and national associations.
The ITIA has not disclosed the complete details of the charges against Dejanovic, but they did reference Section F.3.b.i.4 of the TACP.
This section suggests that the individual is likely to have committed a “major offense” that poses a threat to the integrity of tennis.
Dejanovic has chosen not to appeal the ruling and is currently serving a provisional suspension while the ITIA conducts its investigation.
Dejanovic’s suspension is the latest in a series of actions taken by the ITIA to uphold the integrity of the sport.
Earlier this month, Bulgarian official Stefan Milanov received a 16-year ban from the ITIA.
This severe penalty was imposed after Milanov was found guilty of multiple corruption offenses related to five matches he officiated in 2021.
His activities included manipulating scoring data and facilitating betting on these events.
Additionally, the ITIA has been actively cracking down on players involved in a broader match-fixing case in Belgium, working in collaboration with Belgian authorities.
The syndicate leader, Grigor Sargsyan, received a five-year custodial sentence, leading to the initial ban of 16 players during his conviction in November.
Recent charges also include those against French tennis player Leny Mitjana, who received a 10-year ban for corruption and match-fixing offenses.
Tunisian player Anis Ghorbel faced a three-year ban for his involvement in match-fixing activities in 2016 and 2017, despite his previous career-high world singles ranking of 479 in 2016. Ghorbel maintains his innocence, denying all charges.
While the ITIA has been active in enforcing the rules and integrity of tennis, it has not explicitly stated whether Dejanovic’s suspension is directly related to the same match-fixing case that has led to the bans of other players and officials.
The ongoing efforts by the ITIA reflect their commitment to preserving the fairness and transparency of professional tennis.