Alexander Zverev stated “justice has prevailed” after tennis chiefs introduced Tuesday there was “inadequate proof” to substantiate allegations of home abuse towards the German former world quantity two.
The 25-year-old turned the topic of an ATP-commissioned probe in October 2021 following allegations made by his former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova.
Sharypova had made public accusations towards Zverev in October, 2020, claiming to have been bodily assaulted by the tennis star earlier than their separation in 2019.
Sharypova in 2021 additionally spoke publicly to disclose she had tried suicide consequently.
The ATP Tour’s verdict comes 27 months since Sharypova’s first public accusation.
However the ATP, which runs the boys’s tour, stated the outcomes of the investigation meant it could not be taking disciplinary motion.
Zverev, whose 2022 season ended when he tore ankle ligaments on the French Open, stated he had denied the “baseless allegations” from the beginning and would now deal with his profession.
“This resolution marks a 3rd, impartial, third-party arbiter who has reviewed all related info and made a transparent and knowledgeable resolution on this matter in my favour,” he stated in a press release.
“Along with the ATP’s impartial investigation, I’ve additionally initiated courtroom proceedings in Germany and Russia, each of which I’ve received.” Zverev, who reached the second spherical of the latest Australian Open, has slipped to 14th on the earth rankings after his damage issues.
“I’m grateful that that is lastly resolved and my precedence now’s recovering from damage and concentrating on what I like most on this world – tennis.”
The ATP stated earlier Tuesday that the investigation had been accomplished. “A serious impartial investigation into Alexander Zverev has discovered inadequate proof to substantiate printed allegations of abuse,” it stated.
The ATP stated whereas the first focus of the probe associated to alleged abuses on the ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Shanghai in 2019, its scope additionally included doable misconduct in different areas, together with Monaco, New York and Geneva, as referenced in public reporting.
An inquiry led by the Lake Forest Group (LFG), a third-party investigator, carried out “in depth interviews” with Sharypova, Zverev and 24 others.
It additionally reviewed submissions by each Sharypova and Zverev, together with textual content messages, audio recordsdata and photographs.
Following a 15-month course of, LFG submitted its full report back to the ATP, which stated that “primarily based on a scarcity of dependable proof and eyewitness reviews, along with conflicting statements by Sharypova, Zverev and different interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse” or decide that violations of the ATP’s guidelines had taken place.
The assertion added the findings “might nonetheless be re-evaluated ought to new proof come to gentle, or ought to any authorized proceedings reveal violations of ATP guidelines”.
ATP chief government Massimo Calvelli stated: “We finally imagine the exhaustive course of was essential to achieve an knowledgeable judgement.
“It has additionally proven the necessity for us to be extra responsive on safeguarding issues. It’s the cause we’ve taken steps in that path, with a number of vital work nonetheless forward.”
