The worlds most appropriate snooker player was dangling last night after allegations that he was peaceful to take a 261,000 bribe.
John Higgins claimed that he had concluded to lose frames in 4 matches opposite three distinguished players since he feared he was being in jeopardy by the Russian mafia.
His manager, Pat Mooney, who was additionally concerned in the discussions hold in Kiev, Ukraine, has quiescent as a executive of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
The match-fixing allegations come as snooker is negotiating a new report deal with the BBC and is looking millions of pounds of sponsorship.
Video footage of Higgins and Mr Mooney allegedly similar to accept a cheat was expelled by the News of the World prior to the last of the World Snooker Championship, that is due to finish currently in Sheffield.
Higgins, 34, is listened to say: Let me get this straight. Four frames, so youre articulate order that, 75,000. Youve got to consequence some-more than that per frame. The player, who won the universe pretension in 1998, 2007 and 2009 and was appointed MBE for services to sport, insisted yesterday that he concluded to the understanding usually so that he could get out of a potentially melancholy situation. He said: I didnt know if this was the Russian mafia or who we were traffic with. At that theatre I felt the most appropriate march of movement was only to fool around along with these guys and get out . . . I would never do anything to damage the firmness of the competition I love. My demur is 100 per cent clear.
Barry Hearn, authority of the WPBSA, pronounced an review would be finished within weeks and any player guilty of regulating matches would embrace a very, very, really extensive ban.
We cannot afford, nor will I tolerate, anybody or anything that adversely affects the firmness of the game, he said. I am not rebuilt to see the sport die underneath this sort of publicity.
David Douglas, a former Metropolitan Police investigator and new executive of the WPBSAs board, is questioning the allegations.
Mr Hearn is in negotiations with the BBC to replenish the existent 4 million contract to promote the sport, that runs out subsequent year. Last night the BBC refused to plead how the allegations would affect the negotiations.
The former universe hold up Steve Davis, who sits on the WPBSA board, pronounced that it was the darkest day Ive ever experienced in snooker.
The News of the World, owned by News Corporation, primogenitor association of The Times, did not indicate that Higgins or Mr Mooney had bound the outcome of any support or compare to date.
Suspicion of tainted play
Feb 2010 Stephen Lee, former universe No 5 from Wiltshire, is on bail after a military review in to questionable betting
Dec 2008 Two British players, Stephen Maguire and Jamie Burnett, await possible charges for the suspected regulating of their compare at the UK Championship in Telford, Shropshire
Feb 2006 Quinten Hann, an Australian, criminialized for eight years after being found guilty of intending to lose his compare at the China Open in return for large bribes
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