<p>Russian doubles badminton player Nikita Khakimov has received a five-year ban after being found guilty of offences relating to "betting, wagering and irregular match results", the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>The BWF opened an investigation against Khakimov after obtaining a statement from a whistleblower, who claimed the shuttler had approached him to manipulate match results at the European Teams Championships held in Feb. 2018.</p>.<p>An independent panel found Khakimov to be in breach of BWF's integrity regulations, including approaching a player and offering money to manipulate a match, betting on badminton games and "deliberately destroying evidence of a corruption offence to conceal from the BWF".</p>.<p>Khakimov, 32, was part of the Russian men's team that won the bronze medal at the 2020 European Team Championships.</p>.<p>The panel has decided to not impose a fine on Khakimov, saying the length of the suspension would effectively end his playing career.</p>.<p>"As badminton was his only purported source of income, the suspension would deprive him of the possibility to earn money from his chosen profession," the panel added. </p>
<p>Russian doubles badminton player Nikita Khakimov has received a five-year ban after being found guilty of offences relating to "betting, wagering and irregular match results", the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>The BWF opened an investigation against Khakimov after obtaining a statement from a whistleblower, who claimed the shuttler had approached him to manipulate match results at the European Teams Championships held in Feb. 2018.</p>.<p>An independent panel found Khakimov to be in breach of BWF's integrity regulations, including approaching a player and offering money to manipulate a match, betting on badminton games and "deliberately destroying evidence of a corruption offence to conceal from the BWF".</p>.<p>Khakimov, 32, was part of the Russian men's team that won the bronze medal at the 2020 European Team Championships.</p>.<p>The panel has decided to not impose a fine on Khakimov, saying the length of the suspension would effectively end his playing career.</p>.<p>"As badminton was his only purported source of income, the suspension would deprive him of the possibility to earn money from his chosen profession," the panel added. </p>