Italian Bracciali banned for life, Starace for 10 years

LONDON (Reuters) - Italian former world top-50 player Daniele Bracciali has been banned from tennis for life after being found guilty of match-fixing, the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said on Wednesday.

Bracciali, 40, was found guilty by an Independent Anti-Corruption Hearing of match-fixing offences at the ATP 500 event in Barcelona on 2011. He was also fined $250,000.

Former Italian player Potito Starace was also handed a 10-year ban from any future involvement in tennis, and a $100,000 fine after being found guilty of match-fixing and associated offences at the same tournament.

Both men will have the right of appeal through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"In a decision announced today, which follows a disciplinary Hearing held in London on 18-19 September, Prof (Richard H) McLaren found (Bracciali) guilty of match-fixing offences relating to the ATP 500 World Tour tournament in Barcelona in April 2011," a TIU statement said.

"He was also found to have facilitated betting relating to the Barcelona match."

Bracciali is currently ranked 100 in the world in doubles. As a singles player he reached number 49 in 2006. Starace reached a career-high 27 in 2007.

Starace, whose case was heard by the same tribunal, will be prohibited from attending any sanctioned events organised or recognised by the governing bodies of the sport.

The TIU is an initiative of the sport's various governing bodies, the Grand Slam Board, the International Tennis Federation and the ATP and WTA Tours.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)