The ATP has already made a determination on the abuse allegations incriminating Alexander Zverev

The world of rackets was rocked in 2020 when the Russian Olga Sharypovaformer tennis player and ex-girlfriend of the current No. 14 in the ranking, Alexander Zverevreported having been victim of gender violence by the German. From that moment and in different reports, Sharypova gave more details about the alleged mistreatment received from the last Olympic champion. The ATP (Association of Professional Tennis Players) reacted later than expected, but developed a “independent investigation” and it ended after 15 months. “Insufficient evidence was found to substantiate the allegations of abuse published. The ATP will not take any disciplinary action,” the agency said.

“Commissioned by ATP in October 2021, the investigation looked into allegations of domestic abuse made by Zverev’s ex-girlfriend, Olya Sharypova. While the main focus of the investigation related to alleged abuses that took place at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai in 2019, its scope also included alleged misconduct in other venues, including Monaco, New York and Geneva, as mentioned. in public reports”, announced the ATP.

The investigation, conducted by outside agency The Lake Forest Group (LFG), included interviews with Sharypova and Zverev, and 24 other people, including family and friends, tennis players and other parties involved with the ATP Tour. The investigation “reviewed the submissions of Sharypova and Zverev, including text messages, audio files and photos. This included materials voluntarily removed from Zverev’s electronic devices” through a third-party forensic expert. “After an exhaustive 15-month process, LFG submitted its full report to the ATP. Based on a lack of credible evidence and eyewitness reports, in addition to conflicting statements from Sharypova, Zverev and other interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse or determine that the ATP Site Offenses rule violations o Major player offenses took place”, the ATP explained in a statement.

As a result of this process, the ATP will not take “any disciplinary measure” against Zverev, who returned to the tour at the last Australian Open after six months of inactivity due to a severe ankle injury caused at Roland Garros 2022. “However,” he continued. the ATP-, this determination may be re-evaluated in the event that new evidence arises, or in the event that any legal proceeding reveals violations of the ATP rules. Zverev has always denied all the accusations and has supported the ATP investigation.”

At the time, Sharypova wrote a post on Instagram in which she denounced receiving ill-treatment during the US Open 2019, a tournament in which she was together with Zverev. “I had to run out of the hotel barefoot. I stopped on a street in New York and didn’t know where to go or what to do. She tried to strangle me with a pillow, put my head against the wall, twisted my arms. There was a time when I feared for my life. This was neither the first nor the last time that she laid her hand on me during our relationship.”

In August 2021, Sharypova returned to give chilling details of what she experienced. She did it in a portal post Slate.com, signed by journalist Ben Rothenberg, renowned on the tennis circuit and who also writes as a freelance for The New York Times. Sharypova confessed that the situation disturbs her and that it is conditioning her life, since she cannot find work in her native Russia. Also, needed psychological and psychiatric help to try to overcome the trauma of being a victim of these alleged abuses by Zverev, who continued to deny the facts.

Massimo Calvelli, CEO of ATP, said: “The seriousness and complexity of these allegations required an extremely thorough investigative process and considerable resources. It also required us to use specialist investigators, which was new terrain for the ATP. Ultimately, we believe that the exhaustive process was necessary to arrive at an informed judgment. It has also shown the need for us to be more responsive to safeguarding. It’s the reason we’ve taken steps in that direction, with a lot of important work still ahead.”

Zverev, 2nd in the world in June 2022, returned to compete this season after six months of inactivity due to a torn ligament in his right ankle suffered on June 3 last year during the Roland Garros semifinals against Rafael Nadal. During one point, sliding to the right of him, the German’s toe “buried” in the brick dust and injured himself: he had to leave the Philippe-Chatrier stadium in a wheelchair. Four days later, he underwent surgery and was only able to play again in the early days of this year, in the United Cup. He also played in the first Grand Slam on the calendar, the Australian Open, where he lost in the second round, against the American Michael mmoh.

THE NATION