Match-fixing charges against 10 Chinese snooker players
SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Ten Chinese snooker players were charged Wednesday for their alleged roles in a match-fixing scandal that has plunged the sport into its biggest corruption crisis.
An investigation by the integrity unit of snooker’s governing body has resulted in some of the biggest names in the sport — including 16th-ranked Yan Bingtao and No. 9-ranked Zhao Xintong — being accused of corrupt activity such as fixing matches, approaching players to manipulate matches and betting on matches.
The governing body stated that the 10 players were currently suspended and would continue to be prohibited from participating on the World Snooker Tour, until the end of the case.
A formal hearing will take place, followed by an independent disciplinary panel.
Liang Wenbo was a former finalist at the UK Championship. He was the first to be suspended in October. He has been charged with “being concerned in fixing matches and approaching players to fix matches on the World Snooker Tour, seeking to obstruct the investigation and failing to cooperate with” the investigation by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
Nine more players were suspended over the following two weeks, with Bingtao — the 2021 Masters champion — and Xintong — the UK Championship winner from the same year — among them.
The Masters and UK Championship are the biggest events on the snooker calendar after the World Championship.
Bingtao has been charged with “fixing matches … and betting on snooker,” and Xintong with “being concerned in fixing matches … and betting on snooker.”
Other defendants include Li Hang, Lu Ning Zhang Jiankang Zhang Jiankang Chen Zifan Chang Bingyu Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Zhang Jiankang.
The popularity of snooker in China has increased over the past decade largely due to Ding Junhui’s success, who has won the Masters, the UK Championship, and finished second in the World Championship.
Many Chinese players have their base in Sheffield, England where the World Championships are held each year.
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