Tennis leaders are taking steps at damage control as they grapple with allegations of match-fixing in recent media reports, which have cast a shadow over the first Grand Slam of the year and shaken confidence in the integrity of the sport.
An independent review of tennis' anti-corruption unit was announced Wednesday at the Australian Open in the wake of allegations that officials had failed to properly investigate suspected cases of match-fixing.
ATP Chairman Chris Kermode said immediate action was needed to "restore public confidence in our sport" and that "nothing is off the table."
"I think this is a very bold step. We need to address the perception, public confidence, hit it head on. We don't have anything to hide at all."
The creation of the review, which was earlier reported by The Associated Press, came 10 days after the BBC and BuzzFeed News published stories alleging that tennis authorities had suppressed evidence of match-fixing and failed to thoroughly investigate possible cases of corruption involving 16 players who have ranked in the top 50 over the past decade. No players were named in the reports.
The review will be funded by the Tennis Integrity Board, which oversees the anti-corruption unit set up by the sport in 2008 to combat match-fixing. It will be led by Adam Smith, a London-based lawyer who is an expert in sports law.
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