Snooker in chaos with EIGHTH top star banned from playing amid ongoing match-fixing investigation
AN EIGHTH Chinese snooker player has been suspended as part of an ongoing match-fixing probe.
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) announced today that Chen Zifan would be temporarily banned “from attending or competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect”.
The decision is part of an “ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes”.
World No.93 Zifan, 17, played at the English Open in the Essex town Brentwood last week.
He lost in the first round to Ali Carter.
The suspension remains in place “until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought”.
He does have the right to appeal.
The sport has been in crisis ever since Yan Bingtao – winner of the Masters in 2021 – was barred by the governing body from WST competitions.
Liang Wenbo is a former English Open winner.
And he was first hit with a temporary ban on October 27 for “allegations of misconduct”.
And earlier this month, world No.41 Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu were also suspended.
That was following “allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes”.
WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson has vowed to clampdown on any cheats who are found guilty of fixing snooker matches.