Former tennis star Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, a Wimbledon finalist and a 14-time Grand Slam winner, has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence for her involvement in a fraud case. The Spanish athlete was found guilty of fraud at a court in Barcelona and has been ordered to pay £5.6m in debts to avoid incarceration.
In addition to Sanchez Vicario, her former husband, Josep Santacana, has also been sentenced to three years and three months in prison. The pair were accused of concealing assets to evade payment of a multi-million-pound debt to the Bank of Luxembourg. Although they divorced in 2019, they have been held accountable for their financial misconduct.
According to El Pais, the court concluded that Sanchez Vicario “at all times had sufficient assets to cover the debt,” resulting in a reduced sentence due to her willingness to take responsibility for her actions and make reparations. The judge’s decision to not acquit the 52-year-old was based on the fact that she was fully aware of the misuse of her assets. Sanchez Vicario had previously attempted to shift the blame onto her ex-husband, claiming that she trusted him and had no knowledge of their assets or financial affairs.
During her tennis career, Sanchez Vicario achieved significant success, winning multiple singles and doubles titles, including four singles Grand Slam titles and a number of doubles titles. She was also a key player in the Spanish team’s victories in the Billie Jean King Cup and won several medals at the Olympics. Her accomplishments include silver and bronze medals at the Barcelona Games in 1992 and a repeat of this feat at the Olympic Games in the United States four years later.
This recent controversy has cast a shadow over the legacy of Sanchez Vicario, who was once considered one of the best tennis players in the world during her prime. Her outstanding achievements in the sport have now been tainted by her involvement in this fraud case. It serves as a reminder that even the most successful athletes are not immune to legal troubles and that their actions off the court can have a lasting impact on their reputation.