Snooker scandal leaves unanswered questions
The allegations made by the News of the World over John Higgins accepting money to lose frames have rocked the snooker world.
But there are matters regarding the allegations that raise the question of why it took the arrival of the Sunday paper to deliver the full story to the sport’s authorities?
The report reveals Higgins with his manager, Pat Mooney, agreeing on a price of £261,000, to throw frames in four separate matches in the World Series later this year. The footage shows Higgins and his manager in a hotel in Kiev talking about the best way to cover up the money he receives and how easy it would be to decide the outcome of a frame.
The 34-year-old released a statement on Sunday pledging to clear his name and save his reputation. “My conscience is one hundred per cent clear. Today is the start of the biggest match of my life. I will co-operate fully with the snooker authorities. I have built my reputation on honesty and integrity. Sadly, others have now damaged that reputation and it is now left to me to clear my name. I have never been involved in any form of snooker match-fixing. In my 18 years playing professional snooker I have never deliberately missed a shot, never mind intentionally lost a frame or a match.
“In all honestly I became very worried at the way the conversation developed in Kiev. When it was suggested that I throw frames in return for large sums of money, I was really spooked. I just wanted to get out of the hotel and onto the plane home. I didn't know if this was the Russian Mafia or who we were dealing with. At that stage I felt the best course of action was just to play along with these guys and get out of Ukraine. Those who know me are aware of my love for snooker and that I would never do anything to damage the integrity of the sport I love,” said the world No.1.
Higgins and Mooney founded the World Series last year with the aim of promoting snooker in countries like Russia, Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, hosting matches combined of professional players and the home country’s amateurs. It is believed Higgins would lose some frames to make the opposition look good.
Higgins has since been suspended from future WPBSA tournaments pending immediate investigations, and Mooney has resigned from the WPBSA board with immediate effect.
Dennis Taylor, the 1985 world champion, was shocked to hear about the allegations made about Higgins. “I’ve known John for many many years. He’s the last player in the world I would expect to hear this from. It’s a terrible shock because he is one of the nicest players you can meet. I’m hoping these allegations are proven not to be true,” said the 61-year-old.
WPBSA chairman Barry Hearn took the decision to suspend Higgins, and in all fairness it seems rather irrelevant because the snooker season is now over. However, it was something that Hearn needed to do.
Hearn has said that Mooney “has no future in snooker,” and investigations would take place “in the fastest possible timetable.”
Hearn added: “As far as he’s concerned, he will have his own defence I'm sure, but from what I've seen he is not to be any part of the process of moving World Snooker forward. Suffice to say that commercially the governing body won't be doing any business with Mr Mooney in the future.”
When Hearn was elected chairman in December, he invited Mooney to join the board. As a member of the WPBSA before he resigned, surely the sensible thing for Mooney to do was to have informed the WPBSA what was happening and what he and Higgins had been involved in. Instead, there was no conversation or a call from Mooney or Higgins. Hearn believes that Higgins should have got in touch with him.
“One of the reasons I was so upset with the video evidence was I didn't get a phone call. If someone approaches, and I can't stop people outside approaching players, what I can say is it's their responsibility to report that instance immediately so the authorities are aware and can act on them,” said Hearn.
David Douglas, the former Metropolitan Police detective chief superintendent, who recently joined the WPBSA board last month, is in charge of disciplinary matters of snooker, and will meet with the News of the World management team, with the possibility of further revelations from the newspaper.
The outcome will be resolved soon, and if the allegations are proven, then it will signal the end of the career of three-time world champion Higgins, and will leave the sport with a huge step to rebuild its reputation.
Higgins has vowed to clear his name and whatever the outcome the sport must clear its name.
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