The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has named Karen Moorhouse as its new CEO, replacing Jonny Gray, who left the organisation in September.
Her appointment was confirmed today by the Board of the ITIA which is made up of the international governing bodies of tennis and independent members.
Joining the group in February next year, her move follows 14 years at the Rugby Football League in the UK where she was Chief Regulatory Officer.
Jennie Price, Chair of the ITIA Board, said: “Karen stood out from a strong field of candidates as the person who combines the skills, experience and personal qualities to take integrity in tennis to the next level.
“As well as a deep knowledge of integrity in sport, she brings impressive governance and commercial experience to the role. Above all, she is team-focused, inclusive and collaborative. I am delighted she has decided to join us.”
Moorhouse also served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Rugby League World Cup hosted in the north of England earlier this year.
On her appointment, the new CEO said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining and already hugely impressed by the calibre of individuals I have met so far at the ITIA and across the sport, and their commitment to integrity.
“By establishing and funding the ITIA, tennis is already rightly recognised as leading the way in how it deals with integrity matters.
“I will be focussed on working with our stakeholders and other organisations in the sporting, anti-doping and betting landscape to continue to find new ways of educating and supporting players (and others involved in the sport) and monitoring compliance with the rules.”
She concluded: “All with the overriding aim of ensuring that Tennis remains a trusted sport attracting new players, commercial partners and fans.”
It was only last week when the body confirmed that two French tennis players, Jules Okala and Mick Lescure, had been banned from the sport permanently following investigations into multiple incidents of match fixing since 2014.
The cases were ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Charles Hollander KC and the sanctions now mean that both players are permanently prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis.
