The International Tennis Integration Agency (ITIA) is a body that is responsible for ensuring the professional tennis is free from any malicious activities. These include corruption, match fixing and doping. The ITIA took over as an integrity unit of professional tennis in 2021. This was following the termination of the Tennis Integrity Unit in 2020.
The ITIA is an independent body which was made by the initiatives of the International Tennis Federation, Association of Tennis Professionals, Women’s Tennis Association and the Grand Slam tournaments. These bodies do not have any role in the decisions or investigations made by the ITIA or any sanctions that it imposes on a player or official.
The ITIA has three major programs which defines its objectives – the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, Tennis Anti-Doping Program and Tennis Integrity Protection Programme.
Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP)
The TACP of the ITIA ensures that all activities related to betting, match fixing and competition manipulation are immediately recognised and investigated. An Anti-Corruption hearing officer in Lausanne, Switzerland is responsible for preliminary hearing of these cases.
Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP)
The ITIA ensures that players are not taking any illegal substances as mentioned in the prohibition list of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). If a player is found guilty of consuming any such substance, then sanctions will be imposed on them as per the World Anti-Doping Code. Furthermore, these sanctions depend on the level of offense committed by the player.
Tennis Integrity Protection Programme (TIPP)
The ITIA has a working staff that specializes in intelligence, anti-doping, legal administration, communications and education. If a player is listed for breaking any of the laws of the ITIA, then they get a chance to defend their case. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the ITIA thus continues to ensure that the sport stays free from malicious activities.
