Alexander Zverev: ATP says no disciplinary action will be taken against tennis star following investigation into abuse allegations

CNN
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The ATP Tour announced on Tuesday that no disciplinary action would be taken against Alexander Zverev after an investigation found insufficient evidence to support published allegations of abuse.

In October 2021, the ATP, the governing body of men’s professional tennis, said it was opening an investigation after allegations of domestic violence were made by Zverev’s former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova.

The investigation was conducted by the Lake Forest Group (LFG) with ATP’s external legal counsel, Smith Hulsey & Busey, serving as an intermediary.

“After an exhaustive 15-month process, LFG has submitted its full report to the ATP,” a statement from the ATP read.

“Based on a lack of reliable evidence and eyewitness reports, in addition to conflicting statements by Sharypova, Zverev and other interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse or determine that violations of ATP On-Site Violations or Major Violations of Players Rules have occurred.

“As a result, no disciplinary action against Zverev will be taken by the ATP. This decision may, however, be reassessed if new evidence comes to light or if legal proceedings reveal violations of ATP rules. Zverev has always denied all allegations and supported the ATP investigation.”

ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli said: “The seriousness and complexity of these allegations required an extremely thorough investigation process and considerable resources. It also forced us to turn to specialist investigators, which was new for ATP.

“We ultimately believe the exhaustive process was necessary to reach an informed judgment. It also showed the need for us to be more responsive on backup issues. That is why we have taken steps in this direction, with much important work still to be done.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Zverev said: “From the start, I have maintained my innocence and denied the baseless allegations against me. I have welcomed and fully cooperated with the ATP investigation and am grateful for the organization’s time and attention in this matter.

“This decision marks a neutral third-party arbitrator who has reviewed all relevant information and made a clear and informed decision on this matter in my favor. In addition to the ATP’s independent investigation, I also filed lawsuits in Germany and Russia, both of which I won.

He added: “I am grateful that this is finally resolved and my priority now is to recover from injury and focus on what I love most in the world – tennis. I want to thank my friends, my family and fans for their continued support. We went through the long and difficult process and justice prevailed.

Sharypova has yet to comment on the ATP decision.