Quote:
Originally Posted by samcx
It's still baffling how he didn't get a lifetime ban, given there was clear evidence of him agreeing to fix matches yet Stephen Lee got a 13 year ban with no evidence apart from a few suspicious betting patterns.
IIRC it was because they said they couldn't put a exact specific game on which Higgins was going to fix, ridiculous.
I also think it was because he was #1 at the time and it would have basically destroyed the sport if he got a life time ban.
Totally agree, and it really irks me. It wasn't a unanimous verdict I think but seems incredibly naive to let him off based on his explanation. If I was ever in the position he claimed to be, I'd let the snooker authorities know as soon as possible to cover myself, plus I seem to recall he went to a second meeting with the potential fixers.
FWIW though (re Lee), betting circumstantial evidence can be very strong - in that a "natural" explanation can be practically zero percent likely. Ebdon is another who has smoke around him.
I used to know a betting shop manager and he told me about a few things that go on in snooker. They know who the bend players are.