Players urged to call anti-corruption hotline

By Simon Cambers

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Players at the Australian Open are being encouraged to telephone a 24-hour hotline if they see any evidence of illegal gambling or hear anything suspicious concerning match-fixing.

Signs have been posted in both the players and media areas at the tournament, part of the efforts to clamp down on the growing problems of corruption in the sport.

"Tennis Australia has a zero tolerance policy on illegal gambling, match fixing and the communication of sensitive information which may affect the outcome of a match and will investigate all reported instances," the signs read.

The signs give a number for the Tennis Integrity Hotline.

Tennis Australia has employed a former senior detective to lead the efforts.

These include a ban on accessing any betting Web sites in the players' areas at the event, while fans will not be allowed to use laptops in the stands.

The moves come in the wake of the investigation by the ATP, the governing body of men's tennis, into irregular betting patterns concerning a match between world number four Nikolay Davydenko of Russia and Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello in Sopot, Poland, last July.

British exchange betting firm Betfair voided all bets after it reported unusual betting patterns in the match, which Vassallo Arguello won when Davydenko retired at 2-1 down in the third set.

Both players deny any involvement, while several other players have claimed they have been offered money to lose matches.

(Editing by Ossian Shine)