hong kong
CNN
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Snooker’s governing body said on Tuesday it had suspended two more Chinese players as it investigated an alleged match-fixing and betting scandal, bringing the number of players from the Asian country caught in the investigation to 10.
In a statement, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said former British Championship winner Zhao Xintong, 25, and fellow countryman Zhang Jiankang, 24, were not allowed to attend or participate in the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect.
“This decision is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulation of match results for betting purposes in violation of the WPBSA Rules of Conduct,” the statement said.
“The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought. Zhao and Zhang have the right to appeal this decision.”
World number 9 Zhao is widely regarded as one of snooker’s brightest talents. He will now miss the London Masters on Sunday, one of the sport’s biggest annual tournaments.
CNN has reached out to both players for comment.
Former world number 11 Liang Wenbo was the first Chinese player suspended under the investigation in October. Seven other Chinese players, including 2021 Masters champion Yan Bingtao, were suspended in December.
CNN has reached out to Liang and Yan for comment. Neither Liang nor Yan has publicly commented on the ongoing investigation.
Specific details regarding the allegations related to the suspended individual players remain unknown. The source of the original allegations also remains unclear.
“The WPBSA can confirm that the broader investigation is now at an advanced stage and is expected to be completed shortly, in which case any potential charges will be considered,” the WPBSA statement added.
In a statement on Tuesday, the China Billiards and Snooker Association said it “strongly opposes game manipulation, gambling and other acts that violate the integrity and ethics of the sport, and will issue further sanctions based on the final results of the investigation released by the WPBSA.”
Snooker, which shares many similarities with the game of American pool, is a two-player sport played on a large green table using cues.
The objective is to hit the white ball in turn to pocket one of the 15 red balls, each worth 1 point, before pushing one of the 6 balls of different colors – worth between 2 and 7 points – into the 6 pockets around the table.
The player who scores the most points wins an individual frame, with the overall winner reaching a certain number of frames.
Traditionally, the sport has been dominated by players from the UK and USA, but in recent years it has seen an influx of Chinese talent as the sport gains popularity in the East Asian country.
