Novak Djokovic has spoken of the time he was offered money to fix a tennis match after bombshell revelations about corruption in the sport emerged.
The world number one spoke out after secret files said to expose evidence of top-level match fixing – including the rigging of three matches at Wimbledon - came to light.
A string of Grand Slam winners, none of whom have yet been named, were reportedly allowed to continue their careers despite suspicions being repeatedly raised that they had thrown matches.
The group of corrupt players is said to include 16 who have ranked in the Top 50 over the last decade.
Djokovic instantly rejected the bribe made to him 10 years ago and has denounced the practice as a 'crime in sport'.
Roger Federer, who once dominated the sport, added: 'I would love to hear names. Then at least it's concrete stuff and you can actually debate about it.
'Was it the player? Was it the support team? Who was it?... It's nonsense to answer something that is pure speculation.'
Djokovic has previously claimed he was offered £110,000 to lose a first-round match in St Petersburg but says the bribe was turned down before it even reached him.
'I was not approached directly,' Djokovic said, adding: 'I was approached through people that were working with me at that time, that were with my team.
'Of course, we threw it away right away. It didn't even get to me, there was nothing out of it.'
Djokovic added: 'It made me feel terrible because I don't want to be in any way linked to this - somebody may call it an opportunity. For me, it's an act of bad sportsmanship, a crime in sport honestly.
'I don't support it. I think there is no room for it in any sport, especially in tennis.'
No comments:
Post a Comment