Following the release of the latest episode of the OneFourSeven podcast, David Caulfield has published a very interesting piece on his blog.
Amongst other things he shares Shaun Murphy’s views on Ronnie’s withdrawal
“I’ve seen lots of things written about this,” Shaun Murphy said on the latest episode of the OneFourSeven Snooker Podcast.
“I’m curious. I want to understand and gauge the temperature and opinion of the snooker fraternity.”
“I think there’s quite a bit of misunderstanding here. No one is obliged to play in anything.
“Obviously he and I don’t see eye to eye on many things – everyone knows that – but he’s not obliged to play in anything.
“He’s well within the rules to withdraw from any event that he wants to. The reasons he gives? That’s a different subject.
“But he actually hasn’t done anything wrong by the letter of the law from WST’s point of view, so I’m confused where the narrative comes from.
“I think there is a nuanced difference between someone like Stephen Hendry, who has a tour card and chooses not to enter tournaments, versus someone who enters tournaments and withdraws last minute.
“Those two things are slightly different, and if you look at it from the point of view of the first reserve in this case, who is Anthony Davies’ son Alfie, he got the call to go to Edinburgh four or five hours before – it was completely undoable.
“Now, if O’Sullivan knew he had no intention of going and withdrew last minute, that’s not very good, because that obviously spoils the opportunity for young Mr. Davies.
“But you have no option in these cases but to take the player at their word.
“O’Sullivan has again cited health concerns, and I go back to what I said in the podcast a few episodes ago, he has had it really bad in recent times.
“He has been really poorly. He has been really ill, and to be that ill and to pull out of that many events on medical grounds, and then still turn up and win the UK Championship is incredible really.
That coming from Shaun, who admittedly often disagrees with Ronnie, does put things in a different light. Most of us only see the players on television, or from afar in the arena. But players like Ronnie and Shaun, who have been on tour for over 25 years and regularly meet at events, it’s different. They see each other close-up and away from the cameras. If Shaun says that Ronnie has been in ill health in recent months, then surely that’s true. They are not close friends, why would he lie about this? Of course, it’s worrying and it makes Ronnie’s UK victory even more extraordinary. So, yes, get well soon, Ronnie, or at least better, fingers crossed!
Shaun also speaks about what is at stake as the new board elections are about to take place
Murphy was also asked about his opinions on the ongoing saga between the World Snooker Tour and its players concerning contracts, players’ rights, and the possibility of a breakaway tour.
“This thing isn’t going to go away – the serious battle between the players, and the WPBSA players’ body that represents them, and WST with their players contract.”
“This isn’t going anywhere. It’s only going to increase in velocity and in seriousness, because these two parties are going to clash over this.
“I’m not sure which way it’s going to go. It’s a big week this week in snooker politically. We’ve got the AGM of the WPBSA and the elections to the WPBSA Players Board.
“Such is the interest in this – normally you have to crowbar players into these meetings and nominations – there are three spots available and there are seven candidates.
“That’s the first time in history that there are more candidates than spaces.
“Depending on who gets through the candidacy and the nomination process, if certain members find their way onto that board, that could cause WST a headache going forward.
“I know a few of the players who have put themselves forward have this as one of their key mandates to try to get a fairer and better deal out of WST.
“You know, we want a review of the contract. We want it looked at, we want to sit down and talk. It’s going to be interesting.”
So … it’s not just “some spoiled celebrities” … it’s the WPBSA representing the players vs the commercial body, WST. Note that Shaun, who is by no means an anarchist, uses the words “fairer” and “better deal”. That suggests that even him, known to be respectful of the authorities, finds the contract too onerous and too restrictive.
Interesting times ahead for sure …
David Caulfield on his blog always tries to be fair and expresses balanced opinions. I can only recommend any snooker fan to follow it, especially if they are Irish.
I’m grateful to David and a few others who regularly write about the most interesting topics discussed in the numerous snooker podcasts that are now available to the snooker fans… provided they aren’t partially deaf 😉 THANK YOU!
The Shoot Out in underway in Swansea. I will report on that after the event concludes.
Meanwhile something appeared on twitter that got me wondering. This:
The Shoot Out is a ranking event. It is underway. Yet, Neil Robertson and Luca Brecel were supposed to play an exhibition in Finland today, and Mark Selby will now replace Brecel?
Did they get permission for this? If not, are they not in breach of their contract? If permission was given, how come when a ranking event they could have entered is underway ?
I know that this is by no means a big event, with big money like Macau was but still … If the players contract says that they can’t play in anything that clashes with a WST event, this is technically a breach of contract, no matter how you look at it. Worse still, I will argue that the Macau event was scheduled during the NI Open, and that the players involved opted not to enter the event that was sandwiched between two more lucrative ones in China. Macau or not, they were not scheduled/expected to play that week in a WST event. It made actually no difference. This time, the three mentioned opted not to play in the Shoot Out. They might have opted out anyway of course, exhibition or not. They probably would have actually. But that’s not the point.
The point is that, unless WST was unaware of this exhibition, or authorised it, this is double standards. They choose to enforce the contract when it suits them, notably when they feel challenged, be it by players or promoters, and close their eyes when not. That indefensible in law.
I haven’t changed my mind about the whole situation. To me players being self-employed should be free to play in whatever they want and it’s up to WST to make their events good enough to keep them on board. That’s how economic competition and capitalism – that Hearn so likes and applies – work. Their contract should not restrict them. But if it does – as is currently the case – then it has to be enforced in a consistent way and it may backfire because actually exhibitions are important to promote the sport. Hearn knows that because that exactly how he promoted it in the days …
Having said all that, I do hope that the exhibition in Finland does happened and is a huge success.
The Chinese Billiards Association’s violation of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association
Code of Conduct Punishment decisions for Chinese players
10 Chinese professional snooker players participated in the World Professional Snooker Event hosted by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), and violated the WPBSA code of conduct by manipulating the results of the game, Beijing time on June 7 The WPBSA announced the penalty decisions for the 10 players. In order to rectify the past and learn from the past, the China Billiards Association, in accordance with the “Sports Law of the People’s Republic of China” and the “China Billiards Association Professional Players Committee Management Regulations” Article 22 and Article 32 and the “China Billiards Association Disciplinary Guidelines and Penalties According to Articles 5, 7 and 10 of the Regulations, the 10 players will be punished as follows:
Liang Wenbo and Li Xing are punished with a lifetime ban, and they are prohibited from participating in all billiards matches and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Lu Ning will be suspended for 8 years until December 6, 2030. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Suspend Yan Bingtao for 7 years and 6 months until May 11, 2030. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Chen Zifan will be suspended for 5 years until December 20, 2027. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Zhang Jiankang will be suspended for 4 years and 5 months until May 1, 2027. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Bai Langning will be suspended for 4 years until December 6, 2026. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Zhao Xintong will be suspended for 2 years and 6 months until July 1, 2025. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Zhao Jianbo will be suspended for 2 years and 4 months until April 7, 2025. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
Chang Bingyu will be suspended for 2 years until December 7, 2024. During the suspension period, he is prohibited from participating in all billiards events and activities in mainland China in any form and in any capacity.
For the record those were the WPBSA/WST decisions
the other players concerned.
Liang Wenbo has been given a lifetime ban from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
Li Hang has been given a lifetime ban from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
Lu Ning has been given an 8 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years and 4 months until 6 April 2028. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Yan Bingtao has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and plea of guilty, to 5 years until 11 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Zhao Xintong has been given a 2 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 1 year and 8 months until 1 September 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Zhao Jianbo has been given a 3 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 4 months until 7 April 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Chang Bingyu has been given a 3 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years until 7 December 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Bai Langning has been given a 4 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 8 months until 6 August 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Chen Zifan has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years until 20 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Zhang Jiankang has been given a 4 year and 5 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 11 months until 1 December 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Interestingly there is no “shortening” of the suspension period in the CBSA decision. As a result many of them will be prevented to play in China for longer than in the UK.
Player
Suspended until in the UK
Suspended until in China
Liang Wenbo
forever
forever
Li Hang
forever
Forever
Yan Bingtao
11 December 2027
11 May 2030
Lu Ning
6 April 2028
6 December 2030
Zhao Xintong
1 September 2024
1 July 2025
Zhao Jianbo
7 April 2025
7 April 2025
Chang Bingyu
7 December 2024
7 December 2024
Bai Langning
6 August 2025
6 December 2026
Chen Zifan
20 December 2027
20 December 2027
Zhang Jiangkang
1 December 2025
1 May 2027
Also, providing that the translation is correct, I wonder if “activities” includes “practicing in a club”. Coaching I’m sure will not be an option to them.
Unless those players have means to support themselves in the UK and provided that their visa stays valid or is renewed, they will have to go back to China. If they can’t even practice, I can’t see them coming back, except, maybe, Zhao Xintong, Zhao Jianbo and Chang Bingyu. Zhao and Chang could enter the Q- School to try to re-qualify for 2025/26, Zhao Xintong for 2026/27 the earliest.
And of course we have to wait and see it criminal charges will be pressed in China, which I do expect given the country stance on betting. Some of them could well end up in jail, like Liu Song.
Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong were the star names among the guilty parties (Pictures: Getty)
Two lifetime bans were handed out and eight more players won’t be playing professional snooker any time soon, but there remains a feeling that snooker’s match-fixing punishments didn’t quite go far enough.
The verdicts and bans were announced this week as 10 players were found guilty of various charges from fixing matches to betting on games, and there has been an attempt to chop the head off the snake by ousting the ring-leaders for life.
Liang Wenbo, who has emerged as snooker’s chief villain and all-round abysmal character after a conviction for assaulting a woman last year, has been banned for the rest of his days, as has Li Hang.
The two men were found to have encouraged, enticed and at times bullied younger players into getting involved in match-fixing.
World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association (WPBSA) chairman Jason Ferguson had previously said any lifetime ban was very unlikely for legal reasons, but is now delighted to see the independent disciplinary commission dish them out for the ‘despicable’ actions of Liang and Li.
The influence of the pair on younger players has been taken into account when the punishments were handed out to the other eight guilty parties, and rightly so, but perhaps some still got off a little lightly.
The players have received significant punishments, with Lu Ning banned for 5 years and 4 months, Yan Bingtao and Chen Zifan 5 years, Zhao Jianbo, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langning and Zhang Jiankang all between 2 and 3 years, and Zhao Xintong, who ‘alone among the Respondent players did not himself fix any match’ barred for 1 year and 8 months.
They were given reductions on their bans for admittance of guilt at the earliest opportunities, something Stephen Lee didn’t do when he was banned for 12 years in 2013.
Liang Wenbo did not engage with the investigation before being banned for life (Picture: Getty Images)
If the punishments were firm enough, the WPBSA does not appear to believe so themselves, with the governing body pushing the independent commission to be as strict as possible, but the finding of the hearing revealing that they did not agree.
On considering appropriate sanctions, the finding read: ‘The WPBSA submitted that we should impose a longer ban than the previous snooker cases would suggest should be the case, on the basis that the extent of wrongdoing evident in the present case demonstrates that the sanctions in previous cases had proved to be an insufficient deterrent.
‘We do not accept that submission. The present case involved a close-knit group of Respondent players (including predominantly young professionals) who spoke the same language and shared a similar culture; the relevant events occurred largely during the Covid-19 pandemic when they were not able to travel back home to mainland China and felt isolated in the UK. We do not see in the present case any evidence of a wider culture of wrongdoing in snooker.’
While that makes sense, it has to be something of a concern that the WPBSA feels there was ‘insufficient deterrent’ for match-fixers based on previous bans and the commission disagreed.
However, punishments in reality were longer than they may have been thanks to the WPBSA pushing for no part of bans being suspended, as they have been in the past.
Cao Yupeng was was hit with a six-year ban for match-fixing in 2018, but three-and-a-half years of that was suspended, meaning he was back playing on the main tour in 2021
The commission confirmed that ‘the WPBSA urged us not to adopt that approach’ this time round and that was a good move, because Cao only being banned for two-and-a-half years for fixing three matches and ‘failing to fully co-operate with the WPBSA inquiry’ was ridiculously lenient.
Many players will believe the more serious punishments this time around are still very generous to those found guilty.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk earlier this year world number 21 Dave Gilbert expressed a view that many more will hold, saying: ‘If you’ve put money on yourself to lose a frame or matches, you’re gone forever.
‘I don’t ever want to see you in the practice room, the players’ room or sat opposite playing me. I don’t want to look at you, I don’t want to shake your hand, I don’t want to wish you well if you beat me.
‘I want nothing to do with you. If you’re proven to have done that, I don’t want you near me.’
Yan Bingtao has been found to have fixed four matches, the first in August 2016 and the most recent in December 2022, but could be back on the main tour in 2028, before his 30th birthday.
His reputation may never recover, but his career may well. The former Masters champion is a superb player and could return right to the top of the game for years to come. Many would feel that very hard to accept after serial match-fixing.
Yan Bingtao won £250,000 when he won the Masters in 2021 (Picture: PA)
Zhao Xintong will be back playing a lot sooner, and given that he is the only one of the 10 not to fix a match that is correct, but his return will also be far too soon for some.
The 26-year-old may not have fixed any matches, but he placed bets on games he knew to be fixed by Yan. The WPBSA submitted that if he had not placed the bets then Yan would not have proceeded with the fixes. The commission rejected that submission, but either way it was a meaningful and active role he played.
The finding states of Zhao: ‘His involvement was limited to placing bets for Yan through Li, whereby he became liable as a party to the two match fixes. He attempted to dissuade Yan from match-fixing on both occasions with no success. He felt he had no other option but to place the bets for Yan, as Yan had requested. He has shown genuine remorse for his actions.’
‘Felt he had no other option’ is not a great excuse from Zhao. Since the verdicts, he posted on social media: ‘I have been thoroughly regretting my ignorance and silliness since being suspended a few months ago. I feel ashamed as I disappointed everybody by making a mistake. I just want to say sorry to everyone.
‘I didn’t make any profit from it, but I paid a heavy price for my foolishness.’
Zhao is a very likeable man and a joy to watch at the table so it is easy to feel sorry for him, but a ban of under two years appears generous, as the WPBSA themselves attested with their ‘significant and serious’ involvement claim, which was rejected by the commission.
Zhao Xintong is one of the finest players on the planet, but will not return to the professional tour until at least 2025 (Picture: Getty Images)
The commission found that this case did not present ‘any evidence of a wider culture of wrongdoing in snooker’ which is good news for the sport, but to think that every incident of fixing was hoovered up in this enquiry is fanciful.
The finding stated of the now banned for life Li Hang: ‘Li was a good poker player and had a betting account which he used to help the younger players to place bets, including on snooker games. It was widely known by the Chinese snooker players that they could go to Li if they wished to place a bet on a snooker match or to get involved with match fixing.’
It’s hard to imagine this was widely known among the group of players found guilty but nowhere beyond that number, and for how long that has been widely known is not clear. Li first turned pro as long ago as 2008.
Outside of the guilty parties there were three other players in the finding that were approached to fix matches but rejected the opportunity and were not charged with any breaches.
The aforementioned Cao, Yuan Sijun and Xu Si were these three players and how their involvement came about was not made clear in the finding. Whether it was voluntary as whistle-blowers or that they had found to be approached.
Asked if they had come forward voluntarily, Ferguson said: ‘They came forward as part of the investigation.’
To the WPBSA’s credit they have pushed for severe punishment and will be desperately hoping that the bans that have been handed out are sufficient deterrent to anyone considering any fixing in future.
They have also not given up on further discipline for those involved, with Ferguson telling the Times that there could be criminal charges to come in the UK and in China.
‘We are in constant contact with the Gambling Commission and it is up to them whether they want to take it on for criminal proceedings,’ he said. ‘We will also be handing information to the authorities in China that could also result in prosecutions.’
The sport has a problem, clearly. Will this week’s punishments be enough to stop it? Everyone hopes so, the WPBSA as much as anyone. Could there have been a clearer message that this can never happen again? Yes.
I have put two parts in bold. I find it interesting that WPBSA pushed for harder punishments.
Also there is a psychological aspect to the relationship between the group of young players that isn’t mentioned in this article, but has been brought forward by Lewis Pirnie a few times in the past: the “one child policy” has now been lifted in China, but when the players in this age group were born it was still enforced and most, if not all, have no siblings. Because of that, the relationship they build with their “friends” is often more intense that what we are used to see in our corner of the world, they become like brothers to them because they have no biological brothers. Some of these young players have known each other, and practiced/played with each other since they were kids. Their friendship is very strong and very important to them, and it only became more important during the covid crisis, when they were kept away and isolated for a long period of time. I’m not looking to excuse them, but it probably explains – to an extent – why they felt compelled to support each other even knowing that what was going on was wrong.
Today the independent WPBSA Disciplinary Commission has delivered its decision on the ten players charged with match fixing offences and have issued two lifetime bans for Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, and lengthy bans for the other players concerned.
Liang Wenbo has been given a lifetime from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
Li Hang has been given a lifetime from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
Lu Ning has been given an 8 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years and 4 months until 6 April 2028. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Yan Bingtao has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and plea of guilty, to 5 years until 11 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Zhao Xintong has been given a 2 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 1 year and 8 months until 1 September 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Zhao Jianbo has been given a 3 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 4 months until 7 April 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Chang Bingyu has been given a 3 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years until 7 December 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Bai Langning has been given a 4 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 8 months until 6 August 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Chen Zifan has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years until 20 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Zhang Jiankang has been given a 4 year and 5 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 11 months until 1 December 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
Jason Ferguson WPBSA Chairman said: “This has been a very complex case. It has been heart-breaking to see some young talented players fall foul of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations through pressure exerted by two senior players. This behaviour has been recognised as wholly unacceptable by the imposition of two lifetime bans from participating in recognised snooker in any way.
“Those who try to corrupt sport are constantly trying to find new ways to avoid our monitoring processes and this outcome must be taken as a lesson to those who think they can avoid detection. If any player is involved in fixing a snooker match, they will be caught and will face severe penalties.
“I am pleased that the Commission found that they did not see from the present case “any evidence of a wider culture of wrongdoing in snooker”. The WPBSA will continue its strong stance against those who try to manipulate sport and today’s outcome sends out a clear message that match fixing will not be tolerated in snooker.”
The circumstances of the case are that following an alert in August 2022 from the International Betting integrity Association (IBIA), the WPBSA Integrity Unit working closely with Sportradar carried out a detailed investigation that led to charging ten snooker players with serious breaches of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations. Pending the determination of those breaches the ten players were each suspended.
The WPBSA in accordance with the WPBSA Conduct Regulations, asked Sport Resolutions to appoint an independent King’s Counsel to hear the case against the ten players. Ian Mill KC was appointed to Chair the Independent Disciplinary Commission sitting with Grace Cheng of Counsel and Gordon McKay.
The case was heard in London between the 24th and 26th April and on 3rd May 2023 with the players attending in person or by video link. The Players were each legally represented or assisted by the WPBSA Players Association.
On 6th June 2023 the Disciplinary Commission released its finding on the contested charges and its decision on the sanctions to be imposed:
Liang Wenbo has been found in to be in breach of the Conduct Regulations as follows:
That he fixed or was a party to fix five snooker matches between 24th July and 28th September 2022
That he solicited, induced, enticed, persuaded, encouraged, or facilitated players to fix nine matches between 24th July and 13th December 2022
That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
That he behaved in conduct that was corrupt by threatening another player and making him delete his messages on his phone.
That he threatened another player to seek to persuade him not to assist the WPBSA enquiry.
That he on or after 1st September 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match fixing by deleting messages on his mobile phone and by requesting that other players deleted messages on their phones.
That he failed to cooperate with the WPBSA enquiry by failing to attend interviews and provide material requested by the WPBSA enquiry.
Li Hang has been found to be in breach of the Conduct Regulations as follows:
That he fixed or was a party to fix five snooker matches between 24th July and 29th September 2022
That he solicited, induced, enticed, persuaded, encouraged or facilitated players to fix seven snooker matches between 24th July and 13th December 2022.
That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
That he on or after 1st September 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match fixing by deleting messages on his mobile phone and by requesting that other players deleted messages on their phones.
Lu Ning was found not to have been involved in inducing others to fix matches. He accepted the following:
That in the 2014-15 season he fixed three snooker matches that he played in
That he on 23rd July 2022 he fixed one snooker match that he played in.
That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
That he on or after 1st September 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match fixing by deleting messages on his mobile phone.
Yan Bingtao accepted the following:
That he on 29th August 2016 fixed one match that he played in
That he between 3rd March 2022 and 29th September 2022 fixed three snooker matches that he played in.
That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
Zhao Xintong accepted the following:
That he on 3rd March and 11th March 2022 he was a party to another player fixing two snooker matches.
That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
Zhao Jianbo accepted the following:
That he on 26th August 2022 fixed a snooker match that he was playing in
That he bet on the snooker match that he fixed.
Chang Bingyu accepted that he on 28th September 2022 had fixed a snooker match that he was playing in.
Bai Langning accepted that he on 26th September 2022 had fixed a snooker match that he was playing in.
Chen Zifan accepted the following:
That he between 24th July and 23rd August 2022 fixed or contrived, or were a party to an effort to fix or contrive the result or score of three snooker matches that he played in
Zhang Jiankang accepted the following:
That he on 22nd July 2022 fixed a match that he was playing in
That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
That he failed to provide information requested by the WPBSA
The respondents have until 20th June 2023 to appeal the decisions of the Disciplinary Commission.
The full finding of the Independent Disciplinary Commission can be found here.
Without deeper analysis, the obvious consequences of this is that none of those players will be able to play next season nor will they be able to enter the 2023/24 Q-Schools. This means that none of them will be on tour before 2024/25 if they ever come back. As a result some of the amateurs/ex-pros that did well on the Q-School, without managing to secure a tour card will probably get a lot of opportunities to play next season.
The findings also confirm that some of the younger players felt threatened by Liang Wenbo and Li Hang. It’s particularly bad because those youngsters, finding themselves isolated, away from their families in a foreign country probably looked up to their more seniors fellow countrymen for advice and guidance. I can only suppose that this aspect of things contributed to the life-ban verdict, something that Jason Ferguson had initially ruled out. It also brings the question of what can be done to protect the potentially most vulnerable and I’m thinking about someone like Bai Yulu, a very young woman, alone, in a foreign country, likely not mastering the language, and finding herself in an essentially male environment/sport.
Report on the 2 Q-Schools that concluded today will be posted tomorrow.
Martyn Ziegler, writing in Times Sport, published some news about the match fixing affair involving 10 Chinese players, including Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao. Here is the link
.Unfortunately, to read the full piece, a subscription is needed and I’m not interested to subscribe to a publication that will maybe publish a couple of pieces that interest me over a year.
This is the part that comes for “free”
Chinese snooker players set for long bans over match-fixing offences
Thursday May 25 2023, 4.00pm BST,
Zhao, the winner of the 2021 Uk Championship, was among the players chargedVCG VIA GETTY IMAGES
The biggest match-fixing scandal in snooker is set to lead to lengthy bans for some of the ten Chinese players who have appeared before a disciplinary commission.
Insiders say that an announcement of the sanctions is imminent and multiyear bans for some players — who have all been suspended since being charged in January — are expected. Snooker has imposed hefty bans for fixing before, including 12 years for Stephen Lee in 2012 and eight years for Quinten Hann in 2006.
Those charged in the latest scandal included the 2021 UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong, 26, who remained in Britain for last month’s disciplinary hearings while the other nine returned to China.
One of the younger players involved in the scandal told investigators that he …
Continue reading
It’s not much and nothing unexpected but at least it seems that the conclusion is not far away.
If any of the readers of this blog have access to Times Sport, more information shared in comments would be highly appreciated.
Ross Muir is set to return to the World Snooker Tour after he defeated fellow Scot Michael Collumb 5-1 in the final to win the 2023 EBSA European Amateur Snooker Championship.
Organised by the European Billiards and Snooker Association, over 170 players from 40 different nations took part in the 32nd edition of this prestigious continental event which was this year being held at the Dolmen Hotel in Qawra, Malta.
Muir had no problem qualifying for the knockout rounds after topping his group with four wins from four. He went on to eliminate Umut Dikme (Germany) 4-2, George Pragnell (England) 4-0, former finalist Heikki Niva (Finland) 4-2, Shachar Ruberg (Israel) 4-3 and then two-time winner Robin Hull (Finland) 4-1 in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the draw, current Scottish national champion Collumb – who also enjoyed a 100% record in the groups phase – denied recent Q Tour Playoff winner Ashley Carty (England) on his way to the last four where he ended the challenge of Irish youngster Ross Bulman, 4-1.
The first all-Scottish final in the tournament’s history, Muir started strong as breaks of 55 and 88 helped him establish a 2-0 lead.
Collumb got on the board with frame three, but Muir clinched a tight fourth frame from behind to go into the mid-session interval two up before reaching the target of five on resumption.
After agonisingly finishing second on this season’s Q Tour and just missing out on automatic promotion, this triumph in the Mediterranean for the 27-year-old means he will be back in the big time as he secures a two-year professional tour card for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons. The Edinburgh cueist last appeared on the sport’s top tier in 2019.
Muir becomes the fourth player from Scotland to win the title, and the victory caps an incredible championships for his nation after under-16 and under-21 glories at the same venue for Jack Borwick and Liam Graham, respectively.
Congratulations Ross Muir!
I’m very happy for Ross who has somehow been forced out of the professional game because of health issues. He’s obviously been working very hard to regain his tour card and has got a lot of good results in recent months. I’m wishing him the best as he return where he belongs to, the Main Tour.
The bad … Mark Kings suspended on suspicion of match fixing
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson has today taken the decision to suspend Mark King from attending or competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect.
This follows an initial investigation of irregular betting patterns reported to the WPBSA on the match between Mark King and Joe Perry at the Welsh Open on 13th February 2023.
The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought. Mark King has the right to appeal this decision.
This is another blow hitting the sport we love. This particular match had been discussed on social media indeed and there are call for Jason Ferguson to quit because, allegedly, he didn’t act swiftly enough in this case, and indeed the 10 Chinese players case. I’m not sure about that. It’s one thing to suspect or even know something, and another thing to have enough solid proof to take actions that are bound to be legally challenged if not supported by substantiated evidence.
Acquiring such evidence might take some time. In some cases it might even prove impossible. We have had cases in the past, in snooker, of situations where everyone was convinced that results had been manipulated but actual solid proof could never be sufficiently established. You can’t break someone career, and life, on suspicions no matter how strong they are.
Mark King is a former betting addict. My first thought reading the news was: “Did he have a relapse? Did he put himself is such dire financial situation that he saw no other way out of his problems?”. Hopefully answers will come soon. No matter how bad the answers they can’t more damaging than being in a limbo that only feeds speculations and conspiracy theories.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 