Israel Pereira Stroh, a Brazilian Paralympic table tennis medalist and former journalist, has been suspended from the sport until June 26, 2029, after being found guilty of corruption and betting-related offenses.
The ruling was issued by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), which said the accusations were proven following disciplinary proceedings.
Stroh became the first Brazilian to win an individual Paralympic medal in table tennis, claiming silver at the Rio 2016 Games.
The Brazilian Paralympic Committee has detailed that Stroh has cerebral palsy caused by oxygen deprivation at birth, affecting movement in his arms and legs.
He has represented Brazil internationally since 2013 and competed in three Paralympic editions, also earning silver medals at Toronto 2015 and Santiago 2023.
According to the ITTF, the case relates to corrupt conduct ahead of the men’s doubles final at the Polish Para Open 2024, as well as 68 bets placed by the athlete between 2022 and 2024.
The federation imposed separate two-year bans for each violation, with time already served under provisional suspension deducted, resulting in the current ban running until mid-2029.
Stroh has appealed the ITTF decision and requested a stay of the suspension while the appeal is under review.
However, the federation confirmed that the ban will remain in effect until the appeal process is concluded.
The case adds to growing international scrutiny around integrity breaches in sports, particularly as regulators and governing bodies intensify monitoring of betting activity involving athletes.
In a separate incident involving Brazilian sports, the national police have also opened an investigation into an alleged match-fixing attempt involving basketball players, after indications that individuals linked to the sport may have been approached to manipulate game outcomes. The investigation is still ongoing.
Brazilian operators have warned that welfare and consumer protection measures could remove up to 16% of the regulated market
