Snooker left reeling as Yan Bingtao becomes seventh player suspended

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Snooker has been left reeling after 22-year-old Yan Bingtao became the seventh player suspended from the World Snooker Tour amid an ongoing investigation into match-fixing. Bingtao was due to play Ashley Hugill in the English Open first round on Monday but was instead suspended from the tour – resulting in his opponent being handed a bye.

Bingtao is the seventh Chinese player barred from competing at snooker events amid an ongoing investigation – joining compatriots Liang Wenbo, Lu Ning, Li Hang, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langning and Zhao Jianbo. Leaving the English Open table empty on Monday, Bingtao was instead interviewed by disciplinary chief and former Metropolitan Police officer Nigel Mawer elsewhere in the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

Chairman of snooker’s governing body WPBSA Jason Ferguson, took the decision to suspend Yan and said the number of players involved in the investigation has come as a shock. He said: “Yes, the headlines are damaging to the sport. But it would be more damaging to leave it and try to hide it.

“The only way to rid the sport of that damage is to deal with it as swiftly and as transparently as possible. For now these are suspensions while the investigation and due process take place. But any player trying to manipulate matches for betting purposes…they will be found out.

“And people that buy a ticket to watch these games, they deserve to see sport fought in the right way. We are a long way down the road in this investigation and I think things will be moving quickly, and any developments will be made public. But this has come as a shock, in terms of the number.”

Four-time world champion Mark Selby admitted that the match-fixing investigation will damage the sport’s reputation.

He said: “It’s tough for the sport. All I ever wanted to do as a young lad was play and win tournaments and do my best.

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“The process will take its course but it doesn’t put the game in a great light. We will have to wait and see what comes from the investigation.

“Anyone that ultimately gets done for that needs to get a severe punishment – that would send out a message to anyone else down the line, they would know that the punishment is severe.”

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