Ten Chinese snooker players have been charged with match-fixing by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). The charges come after an investigation by the WPBSA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) into suspicious betting patterns surrounding several matches. The players have been provisionally suspended and face possible lifetime bans from the sport if found guilty.
The investigation began in December 2022, when the WPBSA received information about potential match-fixing in several tournaments in China. The organization subsequently worked with the IOC to investigate the claims and gather evidence. The players charged include several top-ranked Chinese snooker players, including world number 14, Zhao Xintong, who has been suspended from the sport since January 4, 2023.
According to the WPBSA, the players have been charged with “alleged breaches of the WPBSA rules relating to betting, including failing to report approaches and failing to report any knowledge of corrupt activity.”
The charges have sent shockwaves through the snooker community and raised concerns about the integrity of the sport in China. The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) has said that it takes the allegations “very seriously” and is cooperating with the investigation.
The incident also raised concerns about the increasing influence of China in the sport of snooker as well as the potential for match-fixing within the Chinese snooker scene. There are also some speculations that these match-fixing scandals could harm snooker’s reputation in China and impact the sport’s growth and development in the country.
The charges against the ten Chinese snooker players, who face possible lifetime bans from the sport, not only raise concerns about the integrity of snooker in China but also question the future of this fast-growing sport in the country.