ATP suspends Italian duo

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Starace has been suspended for six weeks and fined US dollars 30,000 (20,890 euros) while Bracciali received a three-month suspension and US dollars 20,000 (13,930 euros) fine.

Both suspensions will begin when the 2008 season commences on December 31.

The official announcement by the ATP comes as no surprise - news of the penalties was made public last week by the the Italian Tennis Federation.

Ranked 31st in the world and the Italian number one, Starace wagered on tennis matches between February and May 2006. According to investigators, the 26-year-old Starace made five bets amounting to a total of around 90 euros.

Bracciali, ranked 258th, made around 50 bets of about five euros from May 2004 through January 2005. Neither player bet on matches they were involved in.

The Italian Tennis Federation defended both players last week, stating they were unaware of the ATP's betting rules and that they stopped taking part in the activity as soon as they learned of the regulations.

The 29-year-old Bracciali did not deny placing the bets but claims he and Starace were being used as "sacrificial lambs" because they are not big-name players. The ATP dismissed those accusations with Thursday's announcement.

"The ATP's Tennis Anti Corruption Program, communicated to all players on a regular basis, states clearly and unambiguously that gambling on tennis by players, associates or staff will not be tolerated," ATP executive vice president of rules and competition Gayle David Bradshaw said.

"This has been the case since the Tour's inception in 1990. ... Not knowing the rules is not an excuse. Everyone connected to the ATP Tour has a duty to understand and respect the rules, especially those designed to protect the integrity of our sport."