Organised crime and match-fixing in tennis: Unpacking the Maestro case

• In Event: WG Organized Crime and Criminal Networks Panel 2. Organized crime infiltration in the legal economy

Abstract

This presentation examines the Maestro case, widely regarded as one of the most significant betting-related match-fixing scandals in professional tennis. We explore how The Maestro – the central orchestrator of this operation – and his Organised Crime Group (OCG) systematically infiltrated the sport by recruiting players, manipulating match outcomes, and laundering illicit profits into the legitimate economy. This case exemplifies the increasing professionalisation of match-fixing by transnational OCGs and highlights the challenges in detecting and disrupting these criminal networks.

Drawing on an interdisciplinary fraud prevention model, which integrates insights from criminology, law, sports management, pedagogy, and engineering, we conducted a focus group with three key experts involved in the case. By applying a structured analytical framework, we identify critical vulnerabilities at the macro (structural and regulatory), meso (organisational and institutional), and micro (individual and situational) levels that were exploited by The Maestro and his network. These vulnerabilities illustrate how weaknesses in governance, enforcement, and athlete support structures can be leveraged by OCGs to corrupt professional sports.

This presentation contributes to the academic discourse on organised crime involvement in sports corruption by offering a detailed case study of the mechanisms through which criminal groups operate. We conclude by providing evidence-based policy recommendations aimed at strengthening resilience against match-fixing and mitigating the risks posed by criminal infiltration in professional tennis and beyond.

Authors

• Rein Lionel Struyve, Ghent University, Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law

• Wim Hardyns, Ghent University, Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law