LONDON: Former top 20 player Feliciano Lopez has denied any wrongdoing after recently being mentioned in an ongoing Spanish investigation into corruption.
Newspaper El Confidential listed a doubles match at the 217 Wimbledon Championships involving Lopez and Marc Lopez that could have been fixed. Operation Oikos was launched to investigate corruption in football involving both the La Liga and Segunda leagues. Focusing around irregular betting patterns concerning Valencia CF, Huesca, Nastic and Real Valladolid. One of those arrested, Carlos Aranda, allegedly named the match in question during one of his phone conversations.
Aranda: “I have information about a game, do you want it?”
Other person: “Yes, man, of course, if you can.”
Aranda: “You can put whatever you want, it’s Wimbledon, the kid!”
Aranda ends the conversation: “What Feliciano Lopez loses and his partner, is doubles.”
In the aftermath of the allegation, Lopez issued a statement at The Fever-Tree Championships on Wednesday. Where he is paired up with Andy Murray in the doubles. In it, the Spaniard has denied being involved in deliberately throwing a match.
“Following reports in media that mentioned my name and my partner, Marc Lopez, I feel it is still important to come to you and absolutely deny any link with events described in relation to the allegations of match-fixing.” Said Lopez.
“Marc and I had immediately contacted the TIU to fully cooperate, and they confirmed that there had been no investigation about that match at Wimbledon 2017. We have full faith in the TIU and the role they play in protecting our sport.’
“I have always believed in the values of fair play. It has been the case during my long career and I stand for the integrity of the game, which is so important.”
Pressed further about the claim, the 37-year-old denied having any links to Aranda or Raul Bravo. Another individual that has been charged in connection with Operation Oikos.
Lopez, who won the Queen’s title back in 2017, kicked off his campaign in the singles draw with a 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4, win over Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics. Currently ranked 113th in the world, it has been two years since he last won a trophy on the tour.
“It’s not easy when you find yourself in an article saying that you might be a match fixer. But, I believe that I didn’t do anything wrong.” He commented about coping with accusations whilst playing.
It is not the first time Lopez has found himself accused of breaking anti-corruption rules. On August 18th, 2003 ATP representative Richard Ings requested a supervisors report into Lopez’s match against Jarkko Nieminen, which he retired from whilst trailing 1-0 in the second set. The irregular betting patterns were first alerted by The Sunday Telegraph before it was concluded that neither player did anything wrong.
Lope will play third seed Juan Martin del Potro in the second round of the tournament on Thursday.
