This year’s World Snooker Championship is being played under something of a cloud, with a hearing for 10 players suspended over match-fixing charges taking place midway through the Crucible action.
The two star names on that 10-man list are Zhao Xintong, 26, and Yan Bingtao, 23, the two greatest young hopes for Chinese snooker, and already former UK Championship and Masters winners respectively.
Both practice at Victoria’s Academy in Sheffield and owner of the facility, Victoria Shi, admits it was a terrible time for her personally and the academy after Yan was suspended in December and Zhao the following month.
Not only does she run the academy, but acts as a manager for the players there and is something of a mother-figure for the young men a long way from home.
When the news that her two star players had been suspended emerged, it took time to recover.
‘For two months, it was like I was sleepwalking,’ Shi told Metro.co.uk. ‘When the first few players were reported, none were from here, but then they told me Yan Bingtao was suspended. I cried. Then a few weeks later Zhao Xintong, he cried as well.
‘I was angry. I constantly told them how stupid they are. If you break the laws you’re going to get caught. Be a good person. Be a good person before being a good snooker player, always be good morally.
‘I can’t cry every day. They’ve been with me since day one, I thought I knew everything about them. I always told them not to mix with the wrong crowd. When they’re not practicing hard I told them to work harder, win titles, get more sponsorship.
‘I’m still upset now. I only told them to be good people and deliver on the table. I believed they have a chance to do well, maybe this year’s Worlds one of them could have lifted the trophy. They were the best players from China, with the best chance of winning.
‘Bingtao and Xintong, it happened at their peak. Bingtao beat Mark Selby at the last World Championship!
‘I was so down for two months, but then I thought I’ve got a family to look after and the other players. The other players deserve a medal.
‘We have Fan Zhengyi, Si Jiahui, Zhang Anda, Lyu Haotian and others, they’re all talented, so I’ve been trying to help them get better.
‘That’s why I’ve just tried to move on, but everyone was quite down, I have to say.’
Chen Zifan is another of the 10 Chinese players suspended as part of the match-fixing investigation who practices at Victoria’s, with the other seven based elsewhere.
The scale of the problem suggests to Shi that there are bigger forces at play than just individuals choosing the wrong path.
‘I think they get targeted,’ she said. ‘I know the betting rules, so they did too. But if they get targeted, they get manipulated and influenced because someone behind it will get more money. I think so.
‘Also consider their age, they’re just young and stupid. Also Covid, you look back, they can’t go back to China for three or four years. Sometimes I look back and think, could I have done more? But I was always telling them to work hard, no shortcuts.
‘Sometimes you get mixed in with the wrong crowd when you’re stupid and young. Nobody’s perfect but they’ve made the biggest mistake in their lives.
‘But also, they’ve not killed anyone. I don’t like some people calling for life bans. If it was one or two players, ok, but 10, you need to look at what caused this. There must be someone behind it. They can get brainwashed.
‘Xintong is a nice kid, you have to say. I have no comments for the other players, but the players I look after, they did wrong, but they didn’t kill anyone. No one is perfect. But they are kids. I think they deserve a chance.’
Shi hopes that after the hearing, and whatever punishments come from it, more can be done to educate players and distance sport from gambling.
‘Could we all do more? Have more video chats, more lectures from the anti-gambling people, more education. Once a week, once a month, whatever to keep reminding people,’ she said.
‘You see all the media, on the TV, everywhere gambling, it’s not good. Even in football, the adverts, everywhere. It feels like it’s ok and publicised. What I’m trying to say is, we have to do more in snooker.’
Of the three suspended players from Victoria’s Academy, Zhao Xintong is the only one to remain in England, while Yan and Chen are back in China.
Yan and Chen have been charged with fixing matches, while Zhao has been hit with the lesser charge of ‘being concerned in fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker.’
There appears to be more optimism for the former UK champion when it comes to how severe his punishment will be, with Shi hoping that he has learned a painful lesson.
‘They’re suspended, so that’s already some punishment. They don’t have a job. They’re serving their bans now. I don’t know the laws, but they’re serving a suspension now, so they’re jobless,’ she said.
‘Zhao Xintong is here and practicing. He’s going to the gym a lot now and staying away from people who are not good for him.
‘I said to him, if you’re a champion you need to get used to being on your own, because there’s only one champion. You need to get used to enjoying being by yourself. Champions need to get used to a lonely life.
‘Zhao is upset, but he’s quite a good lad, he’s a nice kid, quite private. That’s why I was surprised. But now he has to get used to an alone life, rather than going out with friends and others. He’s more cautious now.’
The hearing takes place on 24 April, as a WPBSA statement in March read: ‘Sport Resolutions have appointed Ian Mill KC to chair the Independent Disciplinary Hearing for the ten snooker players charged with serious breaches of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations. A date of 24th April 2023 has been set for the start of the proceedings.
‘The players will remain suspended until the outcome of the Independent Disciplinary Hearing is published. They will therefore not participate in any remaining World Snooker Tour events during the 2022/23 season, including the 2023 World Snooker Championship.’
The number of suspensions has since risen to 11, with Mark King also suspended, following ‘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.’
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.
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