A Russian tennis player arrested on suspicion of match-fixing at the 2021 French Open has been cleared by Paris prosecutors, her lawyer said on Thursday, adding that she will compete in this year’s clay-court Grand Slam.
Frédéric Bélot said in a message to The Associated Press that the matter was concerned Jan Sizikov was closed last month, “due to the fact that a criminal case could not be initiated because the facts of which Ms Sizikova was accused could not be established.”
The Paris prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sizikova, who ranks 50th in doubles, was arrested and briefly remanded in custody after competing in a French Open doubles match two years ago. She denied the allegations.
Prosecutors said at the time that Sizikova had been arrested for “sports bribery and organized fraud for acts that may have been committed in September 2020.”
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation related to suspicions regarding one Roland Garros match, which was played in September and October 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The case was opened by a French police unit specializing in betting fraud and match fixing. He had previously worked with Belgian authorities investigating suspicious matches at the lower levels of professional tennis.
“Mrs. Sizikova, who has always maintained her innocence, has finally been cleared of all suspicion,” Bélot said.
