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List of snooker players investigated for match-fixing

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Snooker has been plagued by allegations of corruption virtually since its inception as a professional sport. BBC commentator and retired professional player, Willie Thorne, concedes that match-fixing has always been a part of snooker, even acknowledging that some of the results in his own matches were bent.[1] The earliest known case of corruption in the game involves Joe Davis, pioneer of the professional game and winner of the first fifteen world championships, who is believed to have "carried" weaker opponents in multi-session matches to maximise the gate revenue.[2]

Players do not always enter into match-fixing arrangements of their own volition and sometimes are coerced into fixing results by threats of violence. Thai players in particular have been targeted by ruthless cartels; James Wattana once received a death threat encouraging him to lose a match, resulting in his father being shot dead. Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon and Passakorn Suwannawat—also both Thai players and flatmates—were the victims of a firebomb attack on their home in Sheffield after the governing body opened an investigation into them.[3]

Match-fixing is notoriously difficult to prove: there have only been four arrests in the game's history—Silvino Francisco, Stephen Lee and Scottish practice partners Stephen Maguire and Jamie Burnett—but no criminal prosecutions. The only players ever to be successfully prosecuted by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for it are Stephen Lee, Leo Fernandez and amateur, John Sutton; however, three other players including Quinten Hann, John Higgins and Joe Jogia have all served bans on match-fixing related charges.

Players investigated for match-fixing

Name Event Date Opponent Score Outcome Ref
Match
Silvino Francisco Masters
Last 16 		29 January 1986 Tony Knowles 1–5 Arrested, but later released without charge. [4][5][6][7]
Masters
Last 16 		23 January 1989 Terry Griffiths 1–5
Peter Francisco World Championship
Round 1 		15–16 April 1995 Jimmy White 2–10 Found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, and was banned for five years. Cleared of match-fixing. [8][9]
Quinten Hann China Open
Round 1 		31 March 2005 Ken Doherty 2–5 Hann was found in breach of rule 2.8, which states "a member shall not directly or indirectly solicit, attempt to solicit or accept any payment or any form of remuneration of benefit in exchange for influencing the outcome of any game of snooker or billiards." He was banned for eight years in 2006 and fined £10,000. [10][11][12][13]
Stephen Lee Malta Cup
League stage 		8 February 2008 Joe Swail 5–1 WPBSA concluded that the match was not fixed. [14][15][16][nb 1]
4 February 2008 Neil Robertson 1–5 Lee was found guilty of breaching Rule 2.9 of the WPBSA Members Rule and Regulations by accepting payment to influence the outcome of a match. The case was heard by Sports Resolutions UK from 9–11 September 2013. Lee received a twelve-year ban, which is back-dated to the beginning of his suspension on 12 October 2012 and will run until 12 October 2024. Lee also notched up £125,000 in costs awarded against him after an unsuccessful appeal.
5 February 2008 Ken Doherty 2–4
7 February 2008 Marco Fu 1–5
UK Championship 13–14 December 2008
Round 1 		Stephen Hendry 9–7
15–16 December 2008
Round 2 		Mark King 9–5
China Open
Round 1 		1 April 2009 Mark Selby 1–5
World Championship
Round 1 		22 April 2009 Ryan Day 4–10
Peter Ebdon Northern Ireland Trophy
2nd round 		26 August 2008 Liang Wenbo 0–5 Investigated by the Gambling Commission over suspicious betting patterns. [20]
Jamie Burnett UK Championship
Round 1 		15 December 2008 Stephen Maguire 3–9 Arrested, but later released without charge. [21]
Stephen Maguire UK Championship
Round 1 		15 December 2008 Jamie Burnett 9–3 Arrested, but later released without charge. [21]
Stephen Lee UK Championship 5–8 December 2009 Unknown Arrested and charged. Charges later dropped. [22][23][24]
John Higgins World Series of Snooker 2010 Matches did not go ahead Found guilty of 'giving the impression' he would breach betting rules, and of failing to report the approach. Higgins was banned for six months, fined £75,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs. [25]
Jimmy Michie Shoot-Out
Round 1 		28 January 2011 Marcus Campbell 21–32
(points) 		Investigated by the WPBSA over suspicious betting patterns, but no charges were brought. [26][27]
Marcus Campbell Shoot-Out
Round 1 		28 January 2011 Jimmy Michie 32–21
(points) 		Investigated by the WPBSA over suspicious betting patterns, but no charges were brought. [26][27]
Joe Jogia Shoot-Out
Round 1 		28 January 2012 Matthew Selt Jogia withdrew Following an investigation into suspicious betting patterns Jogia was found guilty of breaching Rule 2.1.4.1, which states "It shall be a breach of these rules for a member to engage in any other conduct that is corrupt or fraudulent, or creates an actual or apparent conflict of interest for the member, or otherwise risks impairing public confidence in the integrity and/or the honest and orderly conduct of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match." Jogia was banned for two years (spanning the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons) and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs. [28]
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh PTC – Event 3
Round 1 		8 September 2012 Steve Davis 0–4 Investigated by the WPBSA over unusual betting patterns, but no charges were brought. [29][30]
Stephen Lee Premier League
League stage 		11 October 2012 John Higgins 2–4 Lee was suspended and investigated by the WPBSA and the Gambling Commission over suspicious betting patterns, but no charges were brought. [23][31]
Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon Shanghai Masters
Qualifying round 1 		7 August 2013 Ross Muir 0–5 Investigated by the WPBSA and the Gambling Commission over unusual betting patterns but no charges were brought. [32][33]
Passakorn Suwannawat Shanghai Masters
Qualifying round 1 		7 August 2013 Mohamed Khairy 4–5 Investigated by the WPBSA and the Gambling Commission over unusual betting patterns but no charges were brought. [32][33]
John Sutton International Championship
Qualifying round 		24 September 2014 Jamie Burnett 0–6 Sutton was found guilty by the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee of violating sections 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.3.1 of its Members Rules, in relation to match-fixing and misuse of inside information for betting purposes. Sutton received a six-year ban, which is back-dated to the beginning of his suspension on 9 February 2015 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. [34][35]
Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon Paul Hunter Classic
Round 1 		28 August 2015 Martin O'Donnell 2–4 Currently under investigation by the WPBSA and the Gambling Commission due to unusual betting patterns. [36][37][38]
Leo Fernandez World Championship
Qualifying round 1 		6 April 2016 Gary Wilson 4–10 Fernandez was found guilty by the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee of violating section 2.1.2.1 of its Members Rules, which prohibits its members "to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match", in relation to suspicious betting on who would commit the first foul in the first frame of the match. Fernandez admitted his involvement in delivering the foul shot in the first frame of the match in question for other persons to make money through betting. He was banned from the sport for 15 months, set to run from 27 May 2016—when the interim suspension pending the investigation too effect—until 27 August 2017 and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs. As a condition of his sentence Fernandez will assist the WPBSA in its anti-corruption education work. [39][40]

Notes

  1. ^ At Stephen Lee's original hearing, £40,000 in costs were awarded against him.[16] This was increased to £75,000 after Lee unsuccessfully appealed,[17] and he incurred a further £30,000 in costs after an earlier appeals panel was forced to recuse itself after finding him to be an unreliable witness.[18] The remainder of his appeal saw a further £20,000 awarded against him, bringing the total amount to £125,000.[19]

References

  1. ^ Liew, Jonathan (10 October 2011). "Former snooker star Willie Thorne makes match-fixing claims". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  2. ^ Everton, Clive (1993). The Embassy Book of World Snooker. The Book People. p. 12.
  3. ^ Harris, Nick (22 September 2013). "Firebomb attack on Sheffield home of snooker players in corruption probe". Daily Mail. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Gambling enquiry in snooker". The Times. 25 January 1989. p. 42.
  5. ^ "Police look at betting". The Times. 25 February 1989. p. 49.
  6. ^ "Francisco arrested by police". The Times. 24 January 1990. p. 44.
  7. ^ "Francisco cleared of alleged betting coup". The Times. 19 May 1990. p. 48.
  8. ^ Hodgson, Guy (9 May 1995). "Snooker: Francisco banned for five years". The Independent. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  9. ^ Downer, Chris (2012). Crucible Almanac. pp. 40–41.
  10. ^ "Guilty Hann given eight-year ban". BBC Sport. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  11. ^ "2005 China Open". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 19 November 2005.
  12. ^ "2005 China Open Information". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  13. ^ "BBC Sport: "Guilty Hann given eight-year ban"". BBC Sport. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2006.
  14. ^ "World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and Stephen Lee decisison" (PDF). Sport Resolutions (UK). 16 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2014.
  15. ^ "2008 Malta Cup Information". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 7 February 2008.
  16. ^ a b "Stephen Lee: Snooker player given 12-year ban for match-fixing". BBC Sport. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  17. ^ "Stephen Lee: Appeal against 12-year ban dismissed". BBC Sport. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  18. ^ "Stephen Lee: Appeal panel steps down over 'truthfulness' doubts". BBC Sport. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  19. ^ "WPBSA Statement – Stephen Lee". World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  20. ^ Everton, Clive (21 September 2008). "Probe into 5–0 Ebdon defeat". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  21. ^ a b "Stephen Maguire and Jamie Burnett quizzed by police over 'irregular' betting patterns". The Daily Telegraph. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  22. ^ "Snooker player Stephen Lee bailed in betting inquiry". BBC Sport. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  23. ^ a b Hayes, Roy (12 October 2012). "Stephen Lee suspended from snooker over 'suspicious' betting patterns". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  24. ^ "Stephen Lee suspended while WPBSA investigate allegations". BBC Sport. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  25. ^ The World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association Limited Disciplinary Hearing Board (8 September 2010). "In full: the John Higgins 'match fix' ruling by Ian Mill QC". Sporting Intelligence. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  26. ^ a b "Snooker chiefs conclude there is 'no evidence' against Michie or Campbell following betting probe". Daily Mail. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  27. ^ a b "WPBSA Statement". World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 17 May 2014 suggested (help)
  28. ^ "Joe Jogia banned after suspicious betting patterns investigation". BBC Sport. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  29. ^ "Steve Davis v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh match cleared by WPBSA". BBC Sport. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  30. ^ "WPBSA Statement". World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 9 November 2012. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014.
  31. ^ Keogh, Frank (10 April 2013). "Snooker: WPBSA drops separate Stephen Lee 'match-fixing' inquiry". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  32. ^ a b "Thai Case Conclusion". World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015.
  33. ^ a b Keogh, Frank (29 January 2014). "Snooker betting: Shanghai Masters inquiry closes with no charges". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  34. ^ Keogh, Frank (27 May 2015). "John Sutton: Snooker player given six-year match-fixing ban". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  35. ^ "WPBSA Statement - John Sutton". World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015.
  36. ^ "WPBSA Statement". World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 28 August 2015. Archived from the original on 1 September 2015.
  37. ^ "World Snooker investigates betting patterns at Paul Hunter Classic". BBC Sport. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  38. ^ "Results (Euro Tour 2 2015)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  39. ^ Huart, Matt (6 July 2016). "WPBSA Statement – Leo Fernandez". World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016.
  40. ^ "Leo Fernandez handed 15-month ban after admitting corruption charge". BBC Sport. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
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