Former French Tennis Player’s Ban Extended After Appeal Backfires

Samuel Bensoussan, a 34-year-old former professional tennis player from France, has had his ban for match fixing extended to three years. Initially, Bensoussan was suspended for one year and eleven months after being found guilty of fixing four tennis matches. His conduct was linked to a large syndicate led by Grigor Sargsyan in Belgium.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) uncovered this syndicate’s involvement in the manipulation of at least 375 matches with around 1,500 individuals implicated. Bensoussan’s suspension began in May 2025. He appealed the decision, claiming he was falsely accused by another player, Mick Lescure, who was banned for life in 2022 for match fixing.

The ITIA also appealed, requesting a longer suspension for Bensoussan to match the severity of other penalties related to the scandal. They pushed for a six-and-a-half-year ban. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reviewed both appeals, ultimately dismissing Bensoussan’s claims and deciding to increase his suspension to three years. This matches neither the initial period nor the longer term sought by ITIA.

Bensoussan, who previously achieved a career-high singles ranking of 405 in 2018, now works as a coach. His updated suspension period starts and ends on the same dates as his original ban, expiring in May 2028.