A University of San Diego tennis player has been suspended over gambling violations just as university and government officials across the country mull the impact of new sports gambling laws.
David Norfeldt, a sophomore at USD from Gothenburg, Sweden, was suspended eight months by the international Tennis Integrity Unit for placing bets on 195 matches the year he arrived on campus. He was also fined $6,000.
The San Diego Tribune reported that the suspension and fine will be halved if he has no further violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.
“None of the wagers involved matches he played in,” a release from the Tennis Integrity Unit said, “and there were no other breaches of integrity rules associated with the offence.”
The ban applies to events sanctioned by tennis’ world governing bodies but does not apple to NCAA competition. Norfeldt played for USD on Saturday.
NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes from betting on their sport or any others. USD athletes sign a form stating: “I will not participate in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate athletics or professional athletics, through a bookmaker, a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling.”
“Based on information provided by the involved regulatory agency,” USD’s statement read, “the matter for which Mr. Norfeldt has been disciplined relates to conduct which occurred between April 2016 and January 2017 — a full year before his enrollment at the University of San Diego and before which he was an NCAA student-athlete.”
This isn’t the first time a USD student-athlete has been punished for wagering on sports. In 2013, Brandon Johnson, the school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball, pled guilty to participation in a point-shaving ring. He was sentenced to six months in prison.
