Wimbledon site of anti-gambling operations

LONDON, June 22 (UPI) -- Gambling on professional tennis will be targeted by investigators during the upcoming Wimbledon championship in Britain, tennis officials say.

World tennis officials said that in addition to Wimbledon investigations, an anti-corruption unit will be created by the end of this year in an attempt to rid all gambling from the sport, The Independent reported Sunday.

The anti-corruption rules are to be unveiled Monday during an Association of Tennis Professionals board meeting and other top tennis organizations are expected to support the new regulations, the newspaper added.

Lawyer Stephen Busey, who helped create the anti-gambling regulations, said the intent is to punish those who place bets on tennis tournaments such as Wimbledon, which begins Monday.

"The intent is to provide uniformity among governing bodies on the anti-wagering effort," he told the British newspaper. "It is significant because it reflects a common intention among governing bodies to come down hard on wagering by players and people associated with tennis."