site.btaBulgarian Tennis Player Simon Anthony Ivanov Sues Tennis Integrity Agency Over Five-Year Ban

Bulgarian tennis player Simon Anthony Ivanov is suing the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) over the organization’s decision to impose a five-year ban on him, as a result of which his rights were also suspended by the Bulgarian Tennis Federation, the player himself announced in a letter to BTA Friday.

ITIA confirmed Thursday that Ivanov has been banned for five years and fined USD 25,000 for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. According to the Agency, Ivanov refused to attend a hearing in his case and was found guilty of violating Section D.1.a, related to betting activity amounting to more than EUR 196,000 on matches between February and October 2022, as well as Section F.2.b, refusal to cooperate with the investigation.

The 25-year-old Ivanov, who reached a career-high ATP ranking of No. 598 in 2023, argues that the ITIA is a private body and has no jurisdiction in Bulgaria or in the European Union, which, he says, was confirmed by a ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU on August 1, 2025, in case C-600/23, according to which the acts of CAS/ITIA are subject to full judicial review by the national courts of member states and cannot be independently valid.

He further said that he has already filed a civil case before the Varna District Court, where ITIA’s acts have been presented as evidence of criminal activity. He has also file filed a complaint under Article 321 of the Penal Code, as well as parallel criminal proceedings in Greece and Serbia against the agency for participation in a transnational organized criminal group and unlawful processing of personal data.

“At present, ITIA’s acts are the subject of pending proceedings before the Varna District Court (civil case No. 20124/2025), as well as criminal proceedings in Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia. According to the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU (C-600/23), ITIA’s acts have no independent jurisdiction within the EU,” Ivanov stated in his position sent to BTA.