Ex-Tennis Player Samuel Bensoussan’s Ban Extended

Samuel Bensoussan, a former French tennis player, faces an extended suspension for his involvement in match fixing. Initially banned for one year and eleven months, his appeal has increased the penalty to three years.

Bensoussan, who had once reached a singles career high of No. 405, was part of a match-fixing network established in Belgium by Grigor Sargsyan. This syndicate was responsible for manipulating 375 matches at its peak, involving about 1,500 people, according to documents from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

Bensoussan began his suspension in May 2025. He chose to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing his involvement was due to false accusations made by fellow ex-player Mick Lescure, banned for life for similar offenses in 2022.

While Bensoussan faced 18 charges under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Protocol, all but one were upheld. The ITIA also appealed, asserting his suspension should align more closely with penalties imposed on other offenders, suggesting a six-and-a-half-year ban.

The CAS dismissed both appeals, finalizing a three-year suspension for Bensoussan. Despite the ITIA’s push for a longer ban, the court stopped short of extending it beyond three years. His suspension remains effective from May 2025 and will conclude in May 2028.