John Higgins - silly boy.....

[Guy Fawkes]

World No1 John Higgins has been suspended from the professional snooker tour pending an investigation following allegations he had agreed to deliberately lose frames in tournaments later this year in return for cash.

The chairman of snooker's governing body, Barry Hearn, said he was "absolutely mortified" following the allegations, adding that Higgins had been immediately suspended while the Scot's manager, Pat Mooney, had resigned his position on the board of snooker's governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).

The WPBSA chairman, Hearn, said there would be an immediate investigation and swift response to the claims, and admitted that he was considering his own position as chairman of the organisation.

"I've read the piece, I've seen the video," said Hearn. "We'll make a decision within the next 24 hours on how we're going to play it."

The allegations have emerged as the World Championship final begins at the Crucible this afternoon between Australia's Neil Robertson and the Scotsman Graeme Dott, and Hearn admitted the allegations "casts a shadow over that event".

"I've got to get advice on what I can and can't do under the (WPBSA) constitution," Hearn said. "You can never say someone is guilty before being proven so."

Hearn admitted such allegations have the potential to destroy the public perception of snooker. "John Higgins is the world No1 and defending world champion until he got beaten in this year's World Championship, and the answer is 'yes'. Once the integrity of the sport is taken away from the public perception … it affects the mindset of the population and affects the integrity.

whole article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/may/02/john-higgins-snooker-bribe-match-fixing

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

In his defence, he claims that he thought he was being made an offer he couldn't refuse by the Russian Mafia in Kiev and that he and his agent just wanted to escape with their lives. Which is a pretty inspired excuse to come up with to the NoTW reporter on your doorstep from a standing start. I sort of half-believe it.

 

[ChapManiA]

In his defence, he claims that he thought he was being made an offer he couldn't refuse by the Russian Mafia in Kiev and that he and his agent just wanted to escape with their lives. Which is a pretty inspired excuse to come up with to the NoTW reporter on your doorstep from a standing start. I sort of half-believe it.

The thing is, if he was just agreeing for the hell of it in order to get back home. Why didn't he go to the Police or the WPBSA as soon as he got back to the U.K and let them know what happened.

Technically, I think he will get away with it, as he does have a viable excuse, but his reputation has been tarnished. If he had reported what had happened as soon as he had got home, he would have been ok.

To really have nailed him. The NOTW should have waited until he threw one of the proposed frames.

We'll never now know if Higgins is genuinely corrupt or not.

 

[jezzer]

he shouldnt get away with it! this pathetic excuse doesnt stand up about the russians, he wouldnt have gone into so much detail and his agent aswell if they were just filling in to get rid of them and they wouldnt have kept saying "youre not from the press, are you?, this isnt being taped is it?" etc. Hang `em!

 

[Bozza]