Reporter Wang Yang
Yesterday, Beijing time, the WPBSA World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association announced that the Disciplinary Committee of the WPBSA's independent body made a final ruling on 10 Chinese players who were previously accused of manipulating the game. Among them, Liang Wenbo and Li Xing were sentenced to life bans, and Lu Ning, Yan Bingtao, Chen Zifan, Zhang Health, Bai Langning, Zhao Jianbo, Chang Bingyu, and Zhao Xintong were also suspended from 8 years and 5 months to 4 year and 1 months. This undoubtedly casts a shadow over the future development prospects of Chinese snooker.
●Heavy penalties
Two received "top grid" tickets
Among the 10 Chinese snooker players involved in the match-fixing, Liang Wenbo and Li Xing were banned for life and fined £4,3 each. This is the first time in snooker history that there has been a "top" ticket with a lifetime suspension.
Among the other players, Lu Ning was banned for 5 years and 4 months, Yan Bingtao and Chen Zifan were banned for 5 years each, Zhang Health was banned for 2 years and 11 months, Bai Langning was banned for 2 years and 8 months, Zhao Jianbo was banned for 2 years and 4 months, Chang Bingyu was banned for 2 years, Zhao Xintong was banned for 1 year and 8 months, and the above 8 people were fined 7500,<> pounds while being banned.
The Chinese Billiards Association issued an announcement as soon as the penalty results were announced, saying that it would impose strict and heavier punishments on the players involved. The association will carry out warning education in the whole industry and launch a series of measures to carry out anti-gambling and anti-counterfeiting to the end.
The Association for Taiwan Affairs of the Central Committee of Taiwan Affairs reiterated that it will always uphold a "zero tolerance" attitude towards gambling, match-fixing and other behaviors that violate sportsmanship, resolutely crack down on gambling, match-fixing and other behaviors, and strive to create a fair and just playing environment. The China Taiwan Association said that in the future, it will further strengthen the management of professional golfers in the UK to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Zhao Xintong posted an apology statement on his personal social media as soon as possible. He said he "never had the thought or behavior of manipulating the game – I knew it was a no-go zone for professional athletes", but admitted that he did not refuse when a friend asked him to help place a bet, nor did he report it to the WTOP.
● The future
Use achievements to justify Chinese snooker
Among the 10 players who were punished, except for Liang Wenbo, who is a "post-80s", 9 of the remaining 5 are "post-90s", 4 are "post-00s", and the youngest, Zhao Jianbo, is only 19 years old. As soon as the punishment against them was announced, many fans were worried about the future of Chinese snooker, and even thought that it would produce the consequences of the player's "generation".
In this regard, the reporter interviewed a senior coach who has been engaged in professional snooker youth training for many years. He regretted that at present, many children playing in the UK in China have left their parents and family in their teens, and some have not gone to school systematically, relaxed their requirements for themselves in a foreign country, and are contaminated with some bad habits. Now that things have happened, face it positively and don't make any excuses. Other players in the UK should also take this as a warning, strengthen their concentration and focus on the game.
Commenting on the suspension periods that will be imposed on multiple golfers, the coach said: "No matter how severe the penalty is, the blow is the same for these children, and I believe that no one will make the same mistake again." The effects of the ban are definitely there, including how to maintain fitness through high-level training, improve technique, etc. But the most important thing is to love the original intention of snooker, as long as you don't give up, you can still return to the game in the future and prove your strength. ”
As for whether these golfers are involved in match-fixing and gambling due to their low income, the coach bluntly said: "Wrong is wrong, you should not make this excuse, some things can never be touched." Now each of them regrets it in their hearts, and they still hope that the outside world can give them the opportunity to rehabilitate. In the future, let's see how they perform. ”
Holding a similar view is Zhao Xintong, who also said in an apology statement that loss is how to cherish, "Let me prove myself with my results and return to the game with a better image." ”