Snooker’s match-fixing scandal is not quite nearing an end yet, with a hearing for the 10 suspended players unlikely to take place before the second half of April.
The 10 players have been suspended on various charges related to match-fixing, with Liang Wenbo the first to be hit with a suspension back in October and nine more Chinese cueists now also involved, including former Masters champion Yan Bingtao and UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong.
When the players were charged in January, WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson explained: ‘In terms of timescales, what will happen now, we have an independent disciplinary chairman, it is that chairman’s responsibility to appoint an independent sports tribunal to hear this case. We, at this point, will become prosecution in this case.
‘We are working extremely hard. February would make it extremely tight, we’ve got due process to follow. That legal process is a huge amount of work, already has been in this investigation, to take it to the next tribunal we want to make sure those players have fair representation and have also a fair amount of time to assess the position and be represented in any tribunal.
‘End of the season, yes it must be done [by then] as far as we’re concerned. We will target around March, I think with this, this is hopeful. But of course we have to rely on what time it takes for that independent tribunal to be established.’
The Mirror now report that March is not going to happen, but it will not be until the end of April that the independent tribunal hears the case.
It is far from an ideal situation for the sport as the World Championship will be ongoing at the end of April and the hearing, with the results and sanctions that follow, likely to cast a shadow over the Crucible.
Ferguson explained that the process is somewhat out of the hands of snooker authorities timewise, and they want the hearing to be set sooner rather than later.
‘We are pushing to get this thing on as soon as possible,’ Ferguson told Metro.co.uk. ‘We’re subject to legal process which will dictate the timeframe, but the sooner the better, from our perspective.
‘All papers have been filed and they’re in the process of appointing the independent tribunal. That is not done by us but that is being done right now, so we’re very close to knowing where we’re going.’
Suspended players and the charges they face
Liang Wenbo 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 WPBSA investigation.
Li Hang 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 betting on snooker matches.
Lu Ning has been charged with fixing a match and being concerned in fixing matches and approaching a player to fix a match on the World Snooker Tour, seeking to obstruct the investigation and betting on snooker matches.
Yan Bingtao has been charged with fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker.
Zhao Xintong has been charged with being concerned in fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker.
Zhang Jiankang has been charged with fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour, failing to report approaches for him to fix matches and betting on snooker matches.
Chen Zifan has been charged with fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour.
Chang Bingyu and Zhao Jianbo have each been charged with fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour
Bai Langning has been charged with being concerned in fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour.
There have been concerns that with 10 Chinese players suspended, snooker’s return to China for tournaments after the height of the Covid pandemic will be hampered.
However, Ferguson is positive that there will be events back in China in the near future, with the interest not waning despite the scandal, and the big-money tournaments will eventually return to the tour.
‘It looks good, it looks promising,’ he said. ‘There are no guarantees at this stage. What we do know is that there are a series of significant government meetings that will take place in March, that’s still the case.
‘We are talking to all of our promoters and actually some new promoters in China. I am quite excited about getting back there. The travel is getting easier, there are still huge challenges with travel to Asia and anywhere in the world. Flights are very expensive, routes are limited, but I expect that will get better. The mood is positive.
‘The Shanghai Masters, I believe, will be the first event back, that’s the most promising, a limited field so a sensible event to start with.
‘We’ve got great promoters, great partners, a great broadcaster in CCTV, the state broadcaster, great digital partners and the demand is very high. I have no doubt we’ll be back there in full swing before long.’
On harm caused by the match-fixing scandal, he added: ‘I think it’s a short-term cloud, it’s not been pleasant and it’s a very unfortunate thing that we’re dealing with.
‘We are talking to our friends and colleagues at the CBSA (Chinese Billiards & Snooker Association) and our team in China. Whatever the outcome is, we’ll bring it to a close and I don’t think it will stop the sport going forward.’
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