Yes, it has finally happened. Tennis tour nutcase/daredevil/pest Daniel “Crazy Dani” Koellerer is banned from the tour. Here is the press release from The Tennis Integrity Unit.
If you want to watch some clips from Crazy Dani you can check out this Tennisnerd post
In one way it’s a shame that it’s gone, at least for the media exposure, but looking at the tour and tennis as a professional sport more than just entertainment, everybody should be pretty happy he’s gone.
Press Release
Player banned for life and fined US$100,000 for three violations under the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program
Austrian tennis player Daniel Koellerer has been banned from the sport for life and fined US$100,000 after being found guilty of offenses under the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.
Mr Koellerer was found guilty of three charges under Article D of the 2010 Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, namely:
• Contriving or attempting to contrive the outcome of an Event;
• Soliciting or facilitating a Player not to use his or her best efforts in an Event; and;
• Soliciting, offering or providing money, benefit or Consideration to any other covered person with the intention of negatively influencing a Player’s best efforts in any Event
The three violations of the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program for which he has been disciplined occurred between October 2009 and July 2010.
The case against him was based on the findings of a Tennis Integrity Unit investigation and considered by an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer at a two-day Hearing held in London on 27-28 April.
Consistent with the confidentiality of the Anti-Corruption Hearing process, no details of the Hearing or Decision will be made public.
The life ban applies with immediate effect, and means that Mr Koellerer is not eligible to participate in any tournament or competition organised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of professional tennis from the date of this statement.
The Tennis Integrity Unit is an initiative of the Grand Slam Committee, the International Tennis Federation, the ATP World Tour and the WTA as part of the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.