Colombian tennis player Robert Farah has been banned for three months and fined $5,000 for facilitating betting by promoting a gambling website on social media.
However, tennis authorities say Friday he is free to play during the three months provided there are ''no further breaches'', adding the ''full period of ineligibility is suspended.''
The Tennis Integrity Unit said in a statement that Farah posted a tweet in February which violated a regulation stating no one ''shall, directly or indirectly, solicit or facilitate any other person to wager on the outcome or any other aspect of any event or any other tennis competition.''
Farah removed the post and apologized when contacted by the tennis unit. The 31-year-old player is ranked 16th in doubles and has a career-high singles ranking of 163, reached in 2011.
The TIU is an initiative of the Grand Slam Board, the International Tennis Federation, the ATP and the WTA. The bodies are committed to zero tolerance to corruption in tennis.�
