Yan Bingtao: Former Masters champion suspended from snooker as part of match-fixing investigation
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ByEurosport
Updated 12/12/2022 at 15:46 GMT
World No. 16 Yan Bingtao has been suspended from attending or competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect, the sport's governing body has announced. In a statement, WST added: “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."
Yan Bingtao of China walks out for their first round match against Chris Wakelin
Image credit: Getty Images
Yan Bingtao has been suspended from competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect.
The World Snooker Tour said in a statement that the suspension was in relation to “an ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes.”
“WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson has taken the decision to suspend Yan Bingtao from attending or competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect,” read a statement on the World Snooker Tour website.
“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.
“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.
“No further comment will be made except in the event of any significant further developments.”
The world No. 16 was due to play Ashley Hugill in the first round of the English Open on Monday. Hugill has been given a walkover.
Yan is the seventh player suspended by snooker chiefs as the sport's authorities probe match-fixing.
Former English Open winner Liang Wenbo was suspended from participating in English Open qualifying in October amid "allegations of misconduct", and a further five suspensions followed on Friday December 9. The further five players to be suspended were Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu.
Speaking to Eurosport at the English Open on Monday, Ferguson said that Yan was suspended after new information came to light.
“Suspensions went ahead last week of some players,” said Ferguson. “Throughout [that process] we were presented with some new evidence, which meant that we needed to interview Yan Bingtao.
“Yan Bingtao turned up this morning [and] he was interviewed at length by Nigel Mawer, our head of integrity. And as a result of that interview and discussions, I took the decision to suspend Yan Bingtao with immediate effect, pending any outcome of this investigation or any potential disciplinary proceedings which may follow.”
Ferguson added that any players who thought they could get away with match-fixing were “completely foolish”.
“We're constantly monitoring markets and everything else," he said.
"We know what's going on. And if any player thinks they can get away with it [match-fixing], by the way, [they're] completely foolish because we can find it easily.
“It [the investigation] won't take as long as you think - I think we are quite well down the road.
“It is not a good look for us, but we are a sport that chooses to deal with it. We are a sport that chooses to put it out in the public domain. We will not have it talked about behind the scenes.
“Expose it, get it out there, deal with it, and we can move on with the professional sport that we've got.”
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