Lack of explanation gives Joe Jogia a two-year ban from World Snooker – Snooker News
In a recent investigation which found the suspicious betting patterns before the 2012 Snooker Shootout match between the World Number 47, England’s Joe Jogia and Matthew Selt.
The inquiry committee of the snooker governing body, World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) found the proof that before the match commenced, a large number of small bets were placed against Jogia’s defeat which put the English potter
in trouble.
Before the start of the event, Jogia pulled out following an injury which raised questions. After the event, sources reported about the doubtful betting. The WPBSA disciplinary committee launched its investigation on the matter and suspended Jogia for a
while. After he was suspended, Jogia commented that World Snooker was being racist and he was being made a scapegoat.
However, the World Snooker inquiry team completed its investigation and reported that 14 small bets valuing 4,830 were placed on Jogia’s defeat. The inquiry team found out that Jogia had ties with two of the bookies who made these suspicious betting. The
WPBSA asked Jogia for explanation but he was unable to provide a sound explanation which proved him guilty and the association took action against him.
The WPBSA stated in a press release, “It was established that the two persons placing the bets were known to Joe Jogia as associates and telephone records demonstrate that in the period leading up to and following the placing of bets Joe Jogia was in repeated
contact with them.”
The press release further added, “There was no contact prior to 16th January 2012 then he sent 33 text messages and made 3 calls to one of the persons placing the bets and 42 text messages and 1 call to the other.”
The WPBSA further stated that Jogia has been banned from the game of snooker until the finish of the 2014 World Championship. Nevertheless, there was no evidence that Jogia had any financial benefits from the suspicious betting but his lack of satisfactory
explanation caused all the conflict and he received a ban.
It is hoped that World Snooker can move past this scandal and show the fans that it is serious in dealing with any type of issue of corrupt practices in the sport.
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