Snooker star Shaun Murphy was left stunned after his sport was thrown into further chaos amid an unprecedented match-fixing investigation.
Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao became the seventh player to be suspended on Monday in the biggest match-fixing probe in snooker history. Yan, 22, had arrived in Brentwood for the start of the English Open before being told by WPBSA chiefs that he was suspended amid an ongoing investigation – with opponent Ashley Hugill receiving a walkover.
World no.16 Yan is one of snooker’s rising talents and is the highest profile player to have been suspended in an investigation that has left the sport reeling.
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Yan’s fellow Chinese players Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu have also been barred from attending or competing on the tour pending the investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes.
And in October, former English Open winner Liang Wenbo was suspended over a probe into unspecified “allegations of misconduct.”
“WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson has taken the decision to suspend Yan Bingtao from attending or competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect,” a WPBSA statement read.
“This decision is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes in breach of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations.
(Image: SNS Group)
“The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought. Yan Bingtao has the right to appeal this decision.”
The fast-developing story has sent shockwaves through snooker, with former world champion Shaun Murphy summing up the reaction of many fans to Yan’s suspension on social media.
“Oh my god,” the ‘Magician’ Murphy simply tweeted, responding to the news.
And six-time world finalist Jimmy White also weighed in on the match-fixing investigation, lamenting a dark day for the sport.
“It’s a really bad day for snooker,” White told Eurosport. “We obviously have to wait for the inquiry.”
He added: “This has to be out of the game, it has to be gone. You cannot have any crooked business in any sport, it has to be ironed out and I’m sure it will be.”
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This post appeared first on Daily Star – Snooker.
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